


Queen of the Underworld

by MistressWinter



Category: EXO (Band), Greek and Roman Mythology, K-pop
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Greek and Roman Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-07 04:06:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 17
Words: 39,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13426452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressWinter/pseuds/MistressWinter
Summary: The story of Hades/Persephone with a twist!





	1. Prologue

“It is for the good of Mount Olympus, sister,” said Hera. “You understand.” With that, she turned and disappeared, the newborn baby in her arms.

Demeter's hands clenched into fists as she forced herself not to go after her sister.  _Hang in there, my Persephone_ , Demeter prayed. _It will all be over soon_. She placed her hand on her flat stomach and took a deep breath. There was not much time. Carefully, she stepped back into her palace.

Lush, green grass carpeted the palace grounds. They swished softly, padding Demeter's feet as she walked. On the exterior, Demeter’s palace looked like any other ordinary temple. Inside, however, was a natural wonderland. Rays of sunlight peeked through the roof and blessed the wheat fields with radiant beams of gold. Thick, brown vines hung from the ceilings and walls, swinging loosely to their own free will. Exotic fruits and vivid-looking flowers graced the gardens in untamed beauty. Demeter’s palace was the goddess’ place of comfort, her only solace from the prison that was Mount Olympus.

She walked quietly down a dimly-lit hallway and came to a stop in front of a wall of vines. With a wave of her hand, the vines parted, revealing a wooden door. Without hesitating, Demeter opened the door and entered. A single candle lit up, illuminating a windowless room furnished with a single bed. Flowery vines broke through the cracks of the dried muddy walls and lined them with green leaves and white jasmine. Demeter made her way towards the bed and sat down. As she did, her once-flat stomach began to swell. Demeter gasped and lay down to accommodate the sudden transformation of her body. She panted as a wave of pain hit her stomach, and her hands clutched the bed sheets as she struggled to take even breaths.

 _Damn you, Zeus_ , she mentally cursed. _Damn you all_.

Demeter wanted to scream, and she did. She arched her back and screamed out all the anger and despair with every fiber of her being. She did not care if anyone heard her. Then again, nobody would care if they heard her. The immortals turned a deaf ear to her cries for help when Zeus forced himself on her. They turned their backs on her as she suffered the pain and humiliation alone. Instead of justice, her own family branded her a traitor. They ignored her desire for freedom and doomed her to an eternity of imprisonment on Mount Olympus.

No one cared about what happened to Demeter until she became with child.

A prophecy from the Goddess Rhea was all it took to turn Mount Olympus upside down. From that moment on, Demeter’s life was under constant scrutiny. Every immortal, deity, and nymph waited with bated breath as they anticipated the birth of her child. The child, bore by two Olympians, would grow up to steal his father’s powers, and become ruler of the universe. Like his father before him, Zeus would stop at nothing to maintain his sovereignty, and he was willing to kill for it.

 _No_ , Demeter thought as she forced herself to stay calm. With renewed determination, she took a deep breath, and pushed with all her might.

 _I will not become Mount Olympus’ puppet._ She took another deep breath and gave another push. Her knuckles were white from gripping the bed sheets. She panted as another wave of pain hit her.

 _I will not submit to Zeus’ tyranny_. Demeter screamed in defiance as she gave a final push, and felt something slipped out of her body.

A cry ripped through the air, but it did not come from Demeter.

The Goddess exhaled heavily and fell back onto the bed. She barely sensed the vines scurried over to catch the fragile life that came out of her. Carefully, they wrapped the crying baby in white sheets and placed him in Demeter’s waiting arms. As the pain began to subside, Demeter finally felt relief for the first time since the discovery of her pregnancy. She laughed as she cradled her newborn son in her arms, cooing and kissing his forehead. Right away, the crying stopped, and the baby opened his eyes.

For a moment, mother and son gazed at each other. Tears of happiness fell from Demeter’s face and onto the baby. He frowned, not liking the wetness on his cheek. He let out a gurgle and tried to touch his mother’s wheat blonde hair with his tiny hands.

Demeter laughed. “Luhan,” she softly called his name. The baby tilted his head in curiosity. Demeter smiled. “Luhan, my precious baby,” she murmured as she held him close to her chest. She started to get up but tensed when she felt a presence outside of her palace.

Sensing her fears, Luhan began to whimper. “Shhhh,” Demeter shushed him gently and kissed his cheek. “It will be all right, my son,” she told him quietly. Luhan peered at her through teary eyes, not quite understanding. A vine appeared and took the baby from Demeter. Upset by this sudden motion, Luhan started to cry again. The goddess fought back her own tears as her heart clenched painfully. “I shall be back soon,” she promised. She schooled her face into a cold mask, and exited the room.

To her surprise, it was not Hera waiting for her outside, but Hermes. Demeter did not say anything as she took the sleeping baby girl from Hermes’ arms. She inclined her head as she stared down at the Messenger God, displeasure written all over her face.

“Do not bother,” Demeter said coldly just as Hermes was about to open his mouth. She turned and disappeared into her palace, leaving the guilt-ridden Hermes at the entrance.

Luhan had stopped crying when she returned. Demeter’s face softened as she watched her son wiggle in a makeshift cradle made of vines, trying to reach for the delicate flowers. She walked over and placed her daughter next to him. “Luhan,” the goddess softly called out. “Meet your sister, Persephone,” she quietly introduced.

As if on cue, Persephone opened her eyes. Sky blue orbs found their identical mates, as brother and sister stared at each other for the very first time. With matching eyes, nose, and lips, the twins shared many physical features, with the exception of the hair. While Persephone’s hair was golden blonde like the sun, Luhan's hair was as black as the night sky.

Luhan let out a gurgle. He switched from reaching for the flowers to reaching for Persephone, who reciprocated his movement and grabbed his hand. Gradually, the room became filled with babbling sounds, as the twins communicated in a language only they could comprehend. Demeter smiled as she watched her children interact. Despite everything Zeus and her family put her through, it was worth it.

 _They_ were worth it.

“From now on, it will be just the three of us,” she told the twins quietly.

“My Persephone and Luhan.”

_My Pride and joy._

 


	2. "Let me go instead"

Vines of forest green leaves with white jasmine spread throughout the mud-brown walls. The scent of gardenias perfumed the air with a floral touch. A vibrant mix of orchids, irises, poppies, hyacinths, and daises spread throughout the bedchamber, creating a rainbow sea of flowers. In the midst of this floral paradise, a sickly pale woman with blonde hair lay amongst a field of grape hyacinth. Next to her lay a young man with almost identical features save for his black hair. For a while, the two stared unblinkingly at the ceiling while they relished in the warm sun rays.

“What do you think?” The young man asked as he ran his hand casually through the flowers.

The woman smiled. “They are lovely,” she replied in a faint voice. She looked over with a smile. “Thank you, Luhan.”

Her brother smiled back “Anything for you,” he said with a wink and squeezed her hand. Normally, he would be trying to coax his sister into a stroll around the palace. Right now, though, the twins were perfectly content to laze around in Persephone’s bedchamber as they savor their precious time together.

“Mother thought I was mad for even entertaining the idea of redecorating your bedchamber before your return,” Luhan recalled with a chuckle. “It was not easy, but I talked them into blossoming just for you." He grinned as he touched a grape hyacinth. “I am glad you liked it,” he added happily.

Persephone did not say anything.

“I bet if we combine our powers together, we could grow a forest right here in the palace,” Luhan went on, unfazed by his sister’s unresponsiveness. “What do you think?” He asked, but there was no reply. He frowned. “Persephone?” Once again, he was met with silence. Puzzled, he turned his head and found his sister unmoving, hands clasped to her chest, eyes closed.

Alarmed, Luhan sprang up. “Sister?” He shook her shoulders, trying to search a sign, any sign, that she was still alive.

“ _Perse!_ ”

With a gasp, the Spring Goddess opened her eyes. “I told you not to call me that,” she said weakly. She then noticed Luhan’s anxious face, and realization dawned on her. She sighed. “Did I scare you?” the goddess asked. “I merely dozed off for a bit. You do not need to worry.”

Her brother fought back the wave of panic inside him. “It was nothing,” he replied, trying to sound nonchalant. “I only want to tease you a bit.” Luhan gave her a toothy grin, hoping to lighten the tense atmosphere in the bedchamber.

Persephone, however, was not fooled. She gave him a sad smile. “We are twins, Luhan,” she reminded him. “We are connected, you and I, so I know when you are lying to me.” She tenderly touched Luhan's pale cheek. Her brother did not answer, but held on to her hand and kissed it gently. The twins fell into silence once again.

* * *

_Why do things have to be like this?_

Luhan glanced over at his sister and tried to remember the time when she was at her happiest, most vibrant self. It felt like such a lifetime ago when they were just children. Young, happy, and worry-free, no one on Mount Olympus cared about them, yet none of that mattered because they had each other.

Both twins inherited their parents’ god-like physiques. Persephone, in particular, grew up to be a universally known goddess whose stunning looks rivaled that of Hera, the self-proclaimed Queen of the Gods. Though driven by jealousy, Hera couldn't do much about Persephone, who never flaunted her beauty, but kept her head down and performed her duties without fail. However, when her beauty attracted the attention of Zeus, the goddess has found the excuse she needed to drive Persephone out of Mount Olympus.

Hera was quick to set her plans into motion. On a sunny day, while picking flowers on the Plains of Nysa, Persephone was dragged into the Underworld as the ever-watchful but indifferent Goddess Artemis looked on. In an instant, Demeter’s family was torn apart. Luhan would never forget those days where his mother went all over Mount Olympus, seeking for her lost daughter. He, on the other hand, could do nothing but wait helplessly back at the palace. After days of searching and waiting, word came from Mount Olympus that Hades, God of the Underworld, had taken Persephone as his bride. When it was discovered that Persephone had gone to the Underworld, both mother and son were stunned.

Demeter was devastated. She pleaded with Zeus, Hera, anyone who'd listen, begging for them to appeal to Hades for the release of her daughter, but her request had fallen on deaf ears. Hera wanted her husband's attention to stay on her, and her family knew better than to incur the wrath of the goddess. Once again, Demeter was betrayed by her own family and her loss was deemed unimportant for the sake of the greater good.

However, Demeter was no fool. If Mount Olympus refused to have anything to do with her, then she would have nothing to do with Mount Olympus. With that in mind, she sealed herself inside her palace and shirked all responsibilities as Goddess of the Harvest. At first, the gods were indifferent to this sudden change in behavior. However, it wasn't long before the desperate pleas of the mortals reached their ears. Prayers fraught with worry about their dying crops, panicked cries over the loss of various food sources, and the growing fears of their livelihoods. Mortals cried out to Demeter, offering up numerous offerings and sacrifices, but her palace doors remained closed.

Only then did Hera realize she had grossly underestimated her sister. Demeter may be quiet, even demure, but she was a force that could not be ignored. Therefore, Hera had no choice but to send Hermes into the Underworld and bring Persephone back. By then, it was all too late. Having eaten the pomegranate seeds, Persephone now drifted between two different realms, and it has taken a significant tow on her.

Once a heavenly vision, Persephone now looked thinner and paler. Her golden blonde hair had lost its luster, falling limply around her shoulders. Her sparkling blue eyes were replaced with soulless orbs. Persephone grew weaker with each trip to the Underworld. She tired easily. Instead of being outside, she spent most of her time resting in her mother’s palace. Sometimes, as Luhan watched her sleep, he wondered if she would ever wake up. Every time Persephone went back to the Underworld, he was scared she might never return again.

_This cannot continue_.

* * *

“The carriage should be arriving soon,” Persephone spoke up suddenly. “I would like to take a nap.” She closed her eyes. “Will you wake me when it is here?”

“I will,” Luhan assured her quietly. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Rest,” he told her. “I will return when the carriage has arrived.” Persephone nodded, and gradually her body relaxed into the floral bed. Luhan made sure she was asleep, then got up and left the bedchamber.

_Two-thirds of a year is not enough_ , he thought as he walked down the grassy fields. Once again, his thought drifted to his plan. it was a risk, but if it worked, then Persephone would never need to spend another moment in the Underworld again. He came to a stop in front of a wall of grape vines. As if on cue, the vines parted and showed him a wooden door. With ease, he opened the door and stepped inside. He was welcomed into a dark windowless room furnished with a simple bed. It was a small room, ordinary-looking compared to his sister’s bedchamber, but Luhan loved it. This was where he was born, and this was what he liked to consider his comfort space.

A single candle lit up, and in the room sat a heavenly woman with grey-blue eyes. Her wheat-blonde hair twisted into a braid that cascaded gracefully down her white robe. Her inclined statute radiated an air of elegance, but Luhan knew that seemingly peaceful appearance belied a strong and independent goddess whose powers rivaled most of the Olympians. Her contributions during the Titanomachy attested to that. Right now, though, she was not a goddess, nor a warrior, but a mother.

“Let me go instead,” said Luhan.


	3. A mother's choice

Demeter’s smile faded. “We've already discussed this, my son.”

Luhan, however, refused to let the matter drop. “You saw how she is throughout her stay,” he argued. “It is only a matter of time before she is too weak to leave the Underworld at all.” His face had a determined look on his face. “I will not lose her at my expense.”

“And I will not lose you at her expense,” Demeter shot back. “Do you think I want this to happen? If I could, I would take her place so that neither one of you would have to suffer." Her eyes were filled with anguish as she gazed at her son. “I do not like this any more than you do, but even I cannot do anything to fix this. This arrangement was made by my mother, and no amount of begging or pleading will make her change her mind.”

Although Zeus was the supreme ruler of Mount Olympus, his mother Rhea had an influential presence in the realm. The two shared a rather unconventional mother-son relationship. Given the fact that Zeus was the only offspring who was not swallowed by their father, Cronus, and was raised by Rhea herself his entire existence, it was only natural that she would favor Zeus above all of her other offsprings. The same could be said about Zeus. Rhea was the only family he ever knew before the rest of his siblings were free from Cronus, so she'd forever hold a special place in his heart. Whatever she said, Zeus would follow. Some considered her to be the 'tie-breaker' among the gods should they be unable to reach a unanimous decision, but Demeter knew better.  In some ways, Zeus was a puppet, and Rhea was the puppetmaster. Despite this, it was no secret that Zeus was her favorite son. There was nothing the Mother of Gods wouldn't do for her son, even if it meant alienating one of her own daughters. 

To the universe, Demeter was known as the goddess of agriculture and harvest, one of the all-powerful Olympians, yet her quiet personality often caused her to be overshadowed by her siblings, especially Zeus and Hera. She never let this bother her, though. Her mother said her purpose as a goddess was to aide and guide the mortals, and that was what she intended to do. As a young goddess, she was eager to please her mother and to rule the universe with her family, but she never counted on the act of betrayal committed by her own brother and mother. The worst was the rest of her family sided with Zeus and Rhea, leaving her all alone, abandoned and humiliated. Just when she didn't think things couldn't get any worse, she became with child, which triggered the horrifying prophecy that turned Mount Olympus upside down.

_T_ _he Goddess Demeter shall give birth to a son, and he will one day become the supreme ruler of the universe._

It was a prophecy that threw Mount Olympus into a state of panic and caused a rift between Zeus and his Olympian siblings, particularly Hera. What was thought to be a simple act of lust had set the future of the Olympians on an unpredictable course, and Zeus had no one but himself to blame. However, even then, no one dared to challenge his authority as King of the Gods, especially when he had the support of his mother.

Therefore, their focus had shifted to Demeter. For countless days, immortals gathered and deliberated on what must be done in order to prevent the prophecy from coming true. Suggestions from exile to killing the unborn baby was all Demeter needed to understand that she had no one to rely on but herself. However, Demeter had already been fooled once by Zeus when he forced himself on her. She would not be fooled a second time. For the duration of her pregnancy, the goddess sealed herself inside the palace, as immortals waited with bated breath for the arrival of the baby. Some recalled the way Hera sped towards Zeus’ palace with the baby in her arms, eager to get rid of the problem once and for all. A while later, they watched Hermes, on orders from Zeus, bring the baby back to its mother. To everyone’s surprise, and to Rhea’s embarrassment, Demeter had given birth to a girl, not a boy. It was only then that everyone finally sighed in relief.

So relieved, that no one noticed the second child Demeter bore in secret.

Luhan sat down next to his mother. “This palace is no longer safe for us, mother,” he said. “As long as I remain here, we will always live in fear that one day, someone will figure out your deception.”

Since he was a child, Luhan was aware of the delicate nature of his existence. He understood that a life in hiding was the only way to ensure their survival. Even though he was unknown to the universe, he was happy to just have his mother and sister with him. The family of three shared a tight bond. There was nothing Luhan would not do to protect his mother and sister, and there was nothing they would not do to protect him.

To keep up the facade, Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, kept to themselves and were rarely seen by anyone. They never bragged or flaunted their powers and abilities, and chose to stay out of trouble at all cost. They came out during the day to perform their duties and return to their palace at the end of the day.They rarely interact with anyone and were only seen when their presence was required. While many still remembered the lightning that ripped through the dark-grey skies when Rhea revealed that terrifying prophecy about Demeter’s pregnancy, none would dare anger the gods and goddesses by bringing it up. With time, they had learned to leave the mother-daughter duo alone, and let them go about their business.

Luhan always thought this was how they would spend their eternity.

Then, Zeus set his sights on Persephone, and everything changed.

"If this palace is safe, Zeus would not have…” Luhan broke off immediately. He had not meant to bring up his mother’s past.

His mother gently patted his hand. As much as she did not wish to admit it, her son was right. Ever since Rhea gave the decree that sealed Persephone’s fate, she could not help but feel her palace was being placed under constant watch. It was as if all eyes were on her, waiting for a mistake, an action that deviated from their normal routine, anything that would warrant punishment or exile from Mount Olympus.

Luhan looked at his mother pleadingly. “Let me go instead,” he begged once again. “You have both protected me all my life. Please, let me be the one to protect you two this time."

Demeter sighed heavily as she stared deep into her son’s eyes. Matching grey-blue eyes, just like her.

_Just like my Persephone._

This was every mother’s nightmare. No one wished to be forced to choose between their children, yet here she was. Both of her children’s fates hinged on a single decision, and she could not keep one without losing the other. The Goddess closed her eyes and exhaled.

“No.”

Luhan opened his mouth to protest, but Demeter put up a hand to stop him. “I will not trade one child for another,” she told him with forced harshness. She stood up. “We shall speak no more of this." Her tone was final and allowed no further argument.

Without another word, she exited the room. Her heart clenched painfully as she took a deep breath. Luhan’s fears were not unfounded. She too shared his worries that she may never see her daughter again. However, this was more of the reason why she could not let her son go in Persephone’s place. After all, who knew what would happen to her son if Hades discovered his identity? It could place all of their lives in danger.

She knew the separation had not been easy, especially for Luhan. The twins were practically joint at the hip since birth. They were more than just brother and sister. They were each other’s best friend, confidante, linked in mind and soul. There was nothing they wouldn’t do for each other, but that was exactly why Demeter could not bring herself to take that plunge with him. It was a selfish decision, but her heart had already been broken one too many times.

_Forgive me._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally re-published on AFF, and I'm now moving the existing chapters here, which is why you may notice the quick updates. I'm still deciding whether to use both platforms or just stick to one since moving/importing chapters is kind of a pain, but for now, you'll be able to read this story on both sites.


	4. Farewell

A black carriage rode down the pristine roads of Mount Olympus. The driver tugged at the collar of his black robe in discomfort. His hands tightened on the reins. He struggled not to fidget, but the tension was written all over his face. No matter how many he had been on Mount Olympus, it was still his least favorite place.

Gradually, he pulled to a stop outside of Demeter’s palace. The goddess was already waiting by the entrance, her stoic face void of any emotions. _Just hurry up and get this over it,_ he told himself as he hopped off the carriage. He walked up to the goddess and gave her a formal bow.

“Goddess Demeter,” he greeted. “My name is Chanyeol. I am here to escort Queen Persephone back to the Underworld.”

Demeter nodded. “Wait here,” she instructed curtly and disappeared.

Chanyeol leaned against the carriage and looked around the pristine landscape. He took in the lush green hills that spread wide for as far as the eyes could see, peppered with delicate daffodils. The lilting sounds of birds singing filled the silent air, accompanied by a gentle breeze that seemed to add character to an already-flawless scenery. As always, everything was perfect.

_Too perfect_ , Chanyeol thought grimly, tugging at his collar again.

“What have we here?” a nasty voice broke him out of his thoughts. He groaned inwardly. _Here we go again._

He turned and watched as two men walked up to him. Their impeccable appearances came as no surprise to the demigod. Gorgeous blonde hair, symmetrical facial features, athletic physiques, they could almost pass for identical twins if it weren’t for their different eye colors. For a moment, Chanyeol wondered if the gods were so busy with their personal endeavors that they simply used the same mold to create their children. Dressed in traditional white robes, their irritation over Chanyeol’s presence on Mount Olympus was written all over their faces.

“Zenoch, Mikhailis,” Chanyeol greeted them with a nod.

While Mikhailis gave him a nod in return, Zenoch however, was less than amicable. “What are you doing here, scum?” He sneered. “Should you not be in the Underworld with the rest of your useless friends?”

Chanyeol said nothing but stared back with a bored expression. They’ve been through this before.

His indifference riled Zenoch up. “Well?” he demanded.

“I am not under any obligation to tell you,” Chanyeol replied evenly.

Immediately, Zenoch’s face darkened with anger. “How dare you disrespect me!” He lunged towards Chanyeol but was held back by Mikhailis.

“Stop it,” Mikhailis warned him.

Zenoch shrugged him off. “Since when are you siding with this half-breed trash?” he demanded.

Chanyeol’s mouth twitched at this. He pondered about telling Zenoch that, as a fellow demigod, he was basically insulting himself as well. Then again, watching Zenoch make a mockery out of himself was… quite entertaining.

Mikhailis sighed. “Zenoch, please.” He tried to reason. “This is not the place to start a fight.”

“You should listen to him,” Chanyeol chimed in. “It is nice to see that not everyone here is as hot-tempered as you.” He paused. “ _Brother_ ,” he added in emphasis.

That was enough to set Zenoch off again. “How dare you,” he roared. Mikhailis held him back and gave Chanyeol a glare as if to chastise him for angering his brother. The demi-god stared back innocently. Zenoch’s blue eyes blazed. “Half-breed trash like you should stay out of our realm,” he spat. “You have no place here, or anywhere else in this universe.”

There was an amused glint in Chanyeol’s eyes. “Right,” he said slowly. “So I suppose I should just get back onto the carriage and leave then?”

“Yes, you should,” Zenoch answered in triumph, glad that Chanyeol finally understood his inferior status on Mount Olympus.

“All right, then.” With that, he climbed back onto the carriage. “I shall be going,” he told the two demigods. “If you would be so kind as to inform the goddess Demeter that Queen Persephone would have to make the journey back to the Underworld at a later time, I would greatly appreciate it.”

Mikhailis’ face paled at the mention of the goddess, but before he could say anything, Chanyeol casually tugged at the reins.

“Good day,” he said as the carriage began to move.

* * *

“Wait!” Mikhailis called out, but it was too late. He watched helplessly as the carriage started to gain speed. Infuriated, he turned to Zenoch. “You just have to get us into trouble,” he snapped. Zenoch opened his mouth to argue, but Mikhailis ignored him and hurried after the carriage.

“Chanyeol, wait!” His plea was met with silence as the carriage rode on. “Stop, please,” Mikhailis begged. “Let us talk like equals.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. “I believe we have talked enough, Mikhailis,” he called back over his shoulder. “I did not come here looking for trouble. Unlike you, I prefer to avoid starting any conflicts.” He paused for a moment. “I shall inform King Hades what has occurred here.”

Now it was Zenoch’s turn to go pale. He had forgotten that this was the day Queen Persephone was to return to the Underworld. If she was late in returning to the Underworld, everyone on Mount Olympus would know about it, including Zeus and Hera. If the gods found out the reason the queen could not return to the Underworld was because of them… he didn’t even want to consider it. He hurried after Mikhailis and the carriage.

“Stop this carriage right now!” Zenoch commanded.

“I do not take orders from you,” was the reply he got.

Outraged, Zenoch raised his hand and blasted a shot of flame towards the carriage. It brushed past the carriage. One of the horses neighed and reared, but the carriage didn’t stop.

“Brother, stop!” Mikhailis shouted, but to no avail. Zenoch’s lips curled into a sneer as he raised his hand up again.

Everything happened in a flash. A vine shot out from the ground and wrapped itself around Zenoch’s arm. Zenoch tried to blast it off with a shot of flame but end up struggling to even more as more vines shot up from the ground and held him in place.

“Mikhailis!” He shouted urgently, only to discover that his brother was in the same predicament as he.

“What is the meaning of this?!” A voice boomed through the fields, causing both men to freeze.

* * *

Chanyeol pulled the carriage to a stop. He looked back and saw Demeter standing at the entrance of her palace, her face angry beyond description.

Calmly, he rode the carriage back to the goddess. “My apologies, goddess Demeter,” he said with a bow.

Demeter ignored him. Instead, she walked over to the spot where Zenoch and Mikhailis were tied up. “What is the meaning of this?” She repeated in a quieter voice, but anyone could detect the underlying fury that simmered beneath the seemingly serene appearance.

“Forgive me, goddess.” Mikhailis was the first to speak up. “We were merely speaking with our brother Chanyeol and we had a small misunderstanding that caused us to –”

“ _Half-_ brother,” Chanyeol corrected, interrupting him. “And don’t try to downplay things, Mikhailis. You know exactly what your brother did.”

Demeter turned to him. “I was not speaking to you,” she told him sternly. At that, Chanyeol fell silent.

She turned her attention back to Mikhailis. “Your relations with this demi-god here is not my concern, but you should know that today is an important day, and you had no right to interrupt the arrangement that was set forth by Rhea herself.”

Mikhailis tried not to flinch under her piercing gaze. “Please, goddess,” he begged.

Demeter stared down at Mikhailis and Zenoch. “I will deal with you two later.” With that, she turned away and head back to the palace. Moments later, she reappeared with Persephone.

* * *

Chanyeol frowned at the sight of his queen's sickly-pale face. Her time on Mount Olympus should improve her health. _What happened_ , Chanyeol wanted to ask but refrained from doing so. Things between Demeter and Hades were already tense. He didn’t wish to make it any worse.

Persephone turned to her mother and embraced her tightly. “Goodbye, mother,” she whispered. “Please know that I love you very much,” she added softly.

Demeter’s stoic face crumbled slightly. She fought back her tears as she hugged her daughter back. “I love you too, my precious daughter,” she told Persephone. “More than my own life.”

Chanyeol said nothing as he stood by and watched the two goddesses bid each other farewell. Eventually, Demeter let go of her daughter and turned to him.

 “My daughter requires rest,” she said. “Her time in the Underworld has tired her greatly, and she has yet to recover.” Her voice held an accusing tone to it. Chanyeol raised an eyebrow at this but said nothing. He simply nodded in acknowledgment and opened the carriage door.

Carefully, Demeter helped her daughter inside the carriage. With a wave of her staff, she blanketed the carriage with a bed of flowers. “May nature be your constant protector and companion wherever you go,” she whispered. “Farewell, pride of my life.” With that, she shut the carriage door and gave Chanyeol a nod. The demigod gave a bow and climbed up onto the carriage. He tugged at the reins, and the horses backed out of the palace. Demeter stayed rooted in the same spot as she watched the carriage rode away.

This was not the first time she said goodbye to her daughter, yet it felt just as painful every time, if not more. She spared a glance at the remaining two demigods, still bound into the ground in vines. She pondered about what to do about them but decided it can wait. Right now, she needed to see Luhan.

Her son might not have shown it, but Demeter knew he was upset by how their conversation turned out. She wanted her daughter to stay more than anything, but the reality was that she couldn’t let her stay, not without raising suspicion on her family. Plus, if Persephone could barely handle being in the Underworld, then chances were Luhan would face the same fate. She could not bear the thought of losing both of her children, and she hoped her son would at least understand that.

Demeter went up to the vine-covered door and knocked. “Luhan?” She called out. There was no answer. She knocked again. “My son?” Still, no one replied. Puzzled, she pressed her hand against the door. She sensed a familiar presence, but it was not Luhan’s. Terror filled her heart as she realized exactly who was inside. Quickly, she flung open the door.

Sunny rays poured into the pitch-black room, revealing a sleeping figure on the bed.

_Oh, Gods. No_


	5. Into the underworld

Demeter stepped inside and took in the sight of her daughter, sleeping peacefully in bed. Her breathing became heavy as she tried to comprehend the harsh truth that lay before her eyes. She spotted a single scroll by the table and snatched it up. She opened it to reveal two simple words.

_Forgive me._

“Mother?” A tired voice broke Demeter out of her reverie.

She looked up and watched as her daughter opened her eyes. Immediately, she began to panic. How would she explain this to Persephone?

Persephone yawned as she struggled to sit up. “Has the carriage arrived already?” She asked groggily.

Demeter’s lips trembled as she stared at her daughter, while her mind struggled for an explanation.

Persephone frowned she heard no answer. “Mother?” she repeated, noting her tearful eyes. “What’s wrong?” she asked. She struggled to get out of bed, but then stop short when she noticed that this was not her own bed. She looked around and frowned “Why am I in Luhan’s room?” she asked. The young goddess looked to her mother for answers, but all she got was a heartbroken expression. Now alert, she got up and looked around, as if searching for her brother. “Where is Luhan?” Her senses reached out, trying to find her brother within the palace. Fear crept into her heart when she realized Luhan was no longer in the palace.

A tear ran down Demeter’s cheek. “He came to me with a request.” Her hands shook as she tried to remain calm. “He was afraid you would not be strong enough to travel back and forth between the Underworld and Mount Olympus, so he offered to take your place.” She clutched the parchment in her hand. _How could I have been so careless?_ She should have sensed it the moment she went to fetch her daughter that something was off.

Persephone’s eyes widened in horror as she took in what her mother had said. “Did you…”

“I told him no,” said Demeter. “I am sorry. I am being selfish, but I could not bear the thought of losing you both,” she babbled on, looking at Persephone pleadingly. “I just did not count on Luhan to…” she trailed off. Her grief-stricken face was a complete contrast from the authoritative goddess who stared down at two demigods outside the palace.

Persephone took one look and immediately knew what happened. “Has the carriage arrived?” she asked urgently. _Please say no_ , she mentally pleaded as she prayed, hoping against hope that there was a chance her brother could stay be saved.

“The carriage left just moments ago,” Demeter replied in a quiet voice. With that, the goddess broke down. She fell to her knees and cried. She cried for being a naïve weakling, oblivious to Zeus’ intentions until it was too late. She cried for being a helpless mother who could not even protect her own children. She cried for the injustice that defined Mount Olympus. There was no democracy, only tyranny. Her family had turned their backs on her, while they went about the universe, doing as they please.

Persephone fought back her own tears while she held her mother. A part of her knew Luhan was up to something. The way he’d talk about having her around longer, hinting at the possibility of switching places. “ _We don’t look that much different,”_ he’d say. _“A simple spell to disguise my looks and I can go in as you.”_ She’d talk him out of it,  claiming this arrangement was best for everyone. Was it because he saw how sick she had become? If possible, she wished she could be stronger. She longed to be more powerful for her family’s sake. Yet fate had not been kind to them.

She reached out and brushed her mother’s tears away. “Luhan will be all right, mother,” she said comfortingly. “We have to trust him.”

Demeter breathed in deeply and nodded. “He will be fine, and so will you,” she responded. Anger flashed across her usually serene eyes. “Had it not been Zeus, you and your brother would not be like this.” Demeter bit her lip. “There is nothing we can do about Zeus, but as long as I exist, I will not let any harm come to you and your brother,” she vowed.

With newfound strength, Demeter stood up. “Luhan was right about one thing,” she told Persephone. “This palace is no longer a safe haven for the either of you.” She took her daughter’s hands. “Your brother left so you may have a chance to live, and it is time for you to go and live your life.”

Persephone immediately panicked. “I will not leave you, mother,” she protested.

Demeter shook her head. “We do not even know what will happen once Luhan arrived in the Underworld. One thing is certain: You cannot stay here.” She held out her hand, and twigs began to gather. “You will never be safe from Zeus and Hera as long as you remain on Mount Olympus.” The twigs twisted and twined until it formed a tall wooden staff. At the tip, a ray of light shone brightly. This was Demeter’s scepter, her ultimate source of power.

“After I was raped by Zeus, I shut myself off from my family,” said Demeter. “I was on my own until Gaea paid me a visit.” Persephone looked at her in surprise. Her mother never mentioned this before. “For the sake of the universe, my grandmother could not punish Zeus for his deeds,” Demeter explained. “However, she gave me this.” She showed Persephone her scepter. “As a way to attune for the sins Zeus committed.” She handed it to Persephone. “Which I now give to you.”

Her daughter took a step back. “I-I cannot take this, mother,” Persephone stammered. “You need it to protect yourself,” she tried to reason, but Demeter was persistent. She grasped her daughter’s hand and placed it on the scepter.

“I have my own powers, and they cannot do anything to me,” she said. “They need me here. Otherwise, Zeus would not have…” she broke off, her eyes pained at the memory of what her brother had done. Persephone held her hand tightly. Not wanting to upset her mother any further, she took the scepter and held onto it. Immediately, she felt re-energized, as if she was never sick in the first place.

Demeter watched her daughter adjust to her newfound powers. “Head to the mortal world,” she told her. “This scepter will give you the power needed to hide from the Olympians. You are a clever girl, so I trust you will figure out what to do once you are down there.” She squeezed her hands. “You will be safe there,” she emphasized.

Persephone’s heart clenched as she realized this may be the last time she ever saw her mother. She held her mother’s hands, reluctant to let go. Demeter gave her a small smile as she grasped the scepter, and the light began to glow brighter. Gradually, Persephone’s body began to fade. “Always remember,” said Demeter. “You and Luhan are my pride and joy. You two are my reason for living. As long as you are both safe, I have no regrets.”

Persephone nodded, eyes brimming with tears. Mother and daughter stared at each other, until her daughter disappeared, leaving Demeter alone in the room.

Demeter stared at the now-empty space, her expression forlorn.

Then she remembered her two captives outside her palace, and her eyes became steely.

* * *

Soft golden hues flickered along the rocky, uneven walls as Chanyeol expertly maneuvered the carriage through the perilous mountains. Dark shadows followed like an eerie silent partner. Hot lava cut through the surface cracks, creating streams of bloody rivers around the black, jagged mountains. Yet, he continued on, undaunted by it all. He looked up as a black dragon flew by, carrying a passenger who gave him a nod in greeting. He watched Charon paddled his boat along the river Styx, whacking a wailing spirit who tried to grab onto his oar. As he descended the mountain, he could make out the dark silhouette of the palaces. He smiled at the sight of the dark, intimidating structure before him. _It is good to be home_.

Inside the carriage, Luhan opened his eyes. He lifted his veil and tried to figure out where he was. He stared at the wilted flowers around him. _Oh, right_ , he realized, _the Underworld_. This was a phenomenon his sister told him about. During her time in the Underworld, Persephone had attempted to liven up the realm, only to watch her flowers wilt and die before her eyes. The conditions in the Underworld had no mercy for plant life, she had told him. Luhan’s eyes dimmed at the prospect of living in a realm that was devoid of natural life.

A tug at his hand caught his attention. He looked down and found a tiny brown twig coiled around his hand. Surprised, he held up his hand.

“How did you get in here?” he whispered in disbelief. The vine twirled in his hand. “You must leave now,” Luhan whispered desperately. “My sister told me plants cannot survive here. If you stay, you will surely die.” The vine tilted slightly as if to consider his words. Then, it began to grow. It expanded outwards, multiplying in length and size until thick vines and green leaves covered every inch of the carriage.

Luhan stared in amazement. Before he could say anything, the vines receded and shrunk back into its original form. It stood up straight in his hand as if to say, “See?”

Luhan could not help but chuckle. “Show off,” he told the tiny plant. The twig stood for a moment, then bent and coiled around his wrist. He smiled.

He felt the carriage came to a stop. A moment later, there was a knock outside. “Your Majesty,” a male voice called out. “We have arrived.”

_Here we go,_ Luhan thought as he replaced his veil. The carriage door opened, and the red-haired man held out his hand to him. With as much grace and calm as he could muster, Luhan took it and stepped out of the carriage.

Luhan blinked as his eyes adjusted to the low-lit surroundings. Growing up inside Demeter’s palace, he was no stranger to dark places. However, he was surprised to discover the Underworld was not as horrifying as his sister had described. Sure, the mountains looked dangerous, and the palace before him looked like a monstrous demon ready to swallow him up, not to mention the entire realm screamed despair and misery, yet overall, it was not entirely unpleasant. Luhan looked around like a curious child, oblivious to another set of questioning eyes watching his every move.

“Your Majesty?” a voice broke him out of his thoughts.

Luhan turned and saw the same man who helped him out of the carriage standing in front of him, his face expressionless. Suddenly, reality hit him like a ton of bricks. He was in the Underworld, the dark realm, the land of the dead. Ruled by Hades, the most feared God of the universe. Luhan tensed. _Stay calm_ , he told himself. He felt a squeeze and looked down at the twig around his wrist. He straightened his body to his fullest height and inclined his veil-covered head.

“Would you like to see the king?” He heard the man asked.

Luhan hesitated but shook his head. He was not ready to meet Hades. In fact, he has no intentions to meet the God who abducted his sister and turned their lives upside down.

There was a sigh. “Very well,” the man replied. “Please allow me to escort you back to your palace.” He gave a bow and gestured the veiled figure to follow him.

Not another word was exchanged as the two walked through the main entrance of the palace, and Luhan was fine with that. He needed time to think up a plan on how to stay here undetected. More importantly, he needed to prepare an explanation should he be discovered. From what Persephone had told him, Hades loathed dishonesty and betrayal, so his deception probably would not sit well with the Ruler of the Underworld.

As they walked on, Luhan noted the bleak and empty hallways, a contrast to the colorful grounds he grew up in. _It would seem that interior decoration is not one of Hades’ interests_ , he thought drily. Lit torches lined the plain walls, and adorned it with the shadow of dancing flames. Occasionally, he saw a few seemingly grotesque sculptures placed at random spots. At closer inspection, Luhan noticed they were actually depictions of mythical creatures and monsters, and they all seemed to be made by the same person. This would be considered a disturbing hobby on Mount Olympus, but Luhan supposed this was normal in the Underworld.

They came to a stop in front of a pair of double doors. Luhan brightened at the sight of the intricate leaf and flower pattern that spread all over the doors. This must be his sister’s bedchambers, no mistake about that. Eagerly, he stepped forward to open the door but was stopped by his guide.

“Are you certain you do not wish to see the king, Your Majesty?” His guide asked one final time.

“That won’t be necessary,” Luhan replied shortly, and quickly stepped into the bedchamber and closed the doors

* * *

Chanyeol stood outside the queen’s bedchamber, looking uncertain. _Something is not right_ , he thought. Should he report this to the king? Then again, would he even care?

“Chanyeol,” someone called him. He turned and grinned as a woman approached him. Like Chanyeol, she was also dressed in black. She was a beautiful woman, but her short blonde hair and deep-brown eyes would have been a bizarre sight on Mount Olympus.

“Amber,” he greeted with a nod. “When did you get back?”

“Just now,” Amber replied with a grin. She nodded towards the doors. “Is there any reason why you are standing outside of the queen’s chamber like a statue?”

Chanyeol hesitated, trying to find the right words. Amber became concerned at this. “What is it?” she demanded.

“There is something… off about the queen,” Chanyeol began, carefully choosing his words. “I cannot put my finger on it, but she seemed… different,” he continued, “colder than usual,” he added.

Amber arched an eyebrow. “The queen? Acting cold? By the Gods, Chanyeol, I will take cold over her crying any day,” she told her fellow demigod. “Or have you forgotten those days we spent putting up with her banshee-like screams?” She grimaced. “Who knew someone so delicate could drown out a river’s worth of cries?” Chanyeol couldn’t help but agree. Those days were torturous for all of them.

The two walked down the hallway together. “Perhaps I should mention this to the king, just as a precaution,” he wondered aloud.

Amber scoffed at this. “This is the queen we are talking about here,” she told him. “The same queen who love all things nature, and would not even hurt a single fly?” she reminded him.

Chanyeol gave her a pointed look. “I thought you do not like her,” he said.

Amber shrugged. “If you must ask, she is a useless queen,” she said bluntly. “But she does not deserve this fate.” The two became silent after that. Everyone knew how Persephone ended up in the Underworld, but few knew the real reason why she was dragged to the Underworld.

“You are right,” Chanyeol finally spoke up. “I am sure she is merely exhausted from the trip and wanted to rest,” he reasoned. “Maybe I am just paranoid.”

“A sign of old age?” Amber teased. Chanyeol gave her a playful shove. The female scout retaliated by shoving him back. Snorts of laughter filled the hallways as the two left the palace.

* * *

Back in the bedchamber, Luhan breathed a sigh of relief at the sounds of fading footsteps. He leaned against the doors and removed his veil. _That was close_. He looked down at the long floral gown and closed his eyes.

The gown disappeared, replaced with the white cotton chiton he normally wore. Delicate body curves shifted into a toned body, and slender limbs shifted into lanky arms and legs. The torches cast a soft glow around the room, giving his pale complexion a golden tone.

Luhan took a deep breath as he looked around the bedchamber. As he took in the luxurious yet sparse furnishing, he could not help but feel out of place. He grew up in nature, surrounded by wheat fields and flowers. His heart clenched at the thought of having to stay in a lifeless place like this.

The vine around his wrist uncoiled itself. It trailed down Luhan’s leg and buried itself in the ground. Thin brown vines began to spout from the ground, spreading throughout the walls and ceiling at an astonishing speed. Luhan’s eyes lit up as he gazed at the sea of forest green leaves that covered the empty walls. He smiled. “Thank you,” he said happily. A single vine reached over and gently touched his cheek.

A click at the door caught his attention. He turned and saw a figure walked in. He was a stranger to him, but as soon as their eyes met, Luhan knew exactly who he was.

_So much for planning ahead._

 


	6. Reaching an agreement

His sharp blue eyes swept across the walls and ceiling, taking note of the vines. While his handsome features weren’t exactly a surprise to Luhan, it was his hair that grabbed his attention. A deep shade of brown, almost black, something that distinguished him from the rest of his golden blonde-haired siblings. His strong-built body, covered by a black cloak, gave off an intimidating air of dominance, like a hunter that has zoomed in on his prey.

Luhan’s mind was in a whirl. _What is he doing here? Why is he here? Is it normal for him to see my sister whenever she returns? Why didn’t she mention this? What am I going to do?_ He had expected a meeting with Hades at some point. He just did not count on meeting him so soon.

“Demeter had a lot of nerve,” a low voice broke Luhan out of his reverie. He forced himself to stay calm as he stared straight into those fathomless blue eyes, which seemed to pierce straight into his soul.

_Do not run. Do not run. Do not run_. Luhan chanted in his mind, all the while fighting the urge to bolt out of the bedchamber.

“Where is Persephone?” The simple question rang through the silent bedchamber. Hades’ face remained expressionless, but Luhan could practically feel the rage seeping out of him. He forced himself to calm down.

“Persephone is no longer on Mount Olympus,” he replied, trying to be bold.

Hades eyed him critically. “And who are you?”

“I am Luhan, son of Demeter,” Luhan answered formally, his eyes never leaving Hades’.

The God of the Underworld arched a fine eyebrow at this. “I seem to recall Demeter only has one daughter,” he said.

“If you are willing to help us, then no one will ever know she also has a son.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Luhan tensed. _That could have gone better_.

Hades’ eyes gleamed with amusement. He stepped closer to Luhan and leaned down. “Why should I help you?” he whispered into his ear.

Luhan shivered involuntarily. “We would be helping each other,” he explained. “Those on Mount Olympus believed my sister has returned to the Underworld. All you have to do is maintain this charade, and in return, I will take my sister’s place as Queen of the Underworld.”

Hades' eyes gleamed in amusement. Gently, he placed a cold hand on Luhan’s neck and pulled him close. “Why should I accept your proposal?” he asked in a low voice.

Luhan struggled not to flinch. “This arrangement will benefit us both,” he pointed out. “You need someone to be a queen, and I need a place to hide from Zeus. We can both get what we want from this.”

Hades’ face showed no emotion, but Luhan could tell he was unconvinced. He decided to try another approach. “In case you did not notice.” He broke off as the hand on his neck tensed. “As you have already noticed,” he quickly rephrased, “the frequent travels between Mount Olympus and the Underworld have taken a tow of my sister’s health. It is only a matter of time before she is too weak to travel. When that happens, you will lose a queen, and I will lose my sister.” He felt the hand on his neck relaxed slightly. “I may not be as powerful as my sister, but I am capable of handling her responsibilities here,” he finished.

There was a dark chuckle, and Luhan felt the cold hand trailed from his neck down to his arm. “Are you?”

Fear coiled around Luhan’s spine like a snake as Hades pulled him close.

“Did your sister tell you what the Queen of the Underworld is supposed to do?” The god whispered. He leaned down and nuzzled his neck. Luhan’s hands clenched into fists, but he nodded. Hades smirked as he pressed his cool lips against his collarbone.

“So you know what you must do as Queen of the Underworld?”

Luhan fought to stay clear-headed but found it to be quite a challenge. There was something hypnotic about Hades’ voice that seemed to lure him in.

“Yes,” he replied shakily. He tried to back away, but Hades’ arms tightened around him like a steel cage. Luhan’s breath became heavy as Hades’ lips went from his neck to his ear, leaving a trail of kisses in the process. He struggled to stay on his feet, and without realizing it, had leaned into a broad yet cold chest. His heart pounded against his chest like a drum. He tried to think of something to say but his mind was a complete blank.

Hades’ lips were almost upon Luhan’s when all of a sudden, he paused. Luhan stared in confusion as he watched the God shifted his attention to the door, a frown on his face. Without a single word, the God of the Underworld released Luhan and left the bedchamber.

Luhan stared at the closed doors, feeling relief yet puzzled at the same time. _What just happened?_   He sat up cautiously as if scared that Hades might return at any given moment. He could feel beads of sweat on his forehead. As he lifted his hand to wipe his forehead, he smelled something metallic. He looked down and realized his hands were bloodied with fingernail wounds.

A vine appeared and twirled around his hands. With great care, it wiped the blood from his wounds and retreated back to the ceiling. That was when Luhan realized: the bedchamber had turned into a forest. Green grass and blue flowers adorned the ground like a carpet. He glanced around in amazement

“Did you do all this?” he asked aloud. A tiny twig sprung up and wrapped itself around Luhan’s wrist. He placed his feet on the grass and relaxed into its feathery texture. By impulse, he got off of the bed and lay down on the grass.

His conversation with Hades had been draining. What frustrated him the most was that Hades never gave him an answer. He did not agree to help him, yet he did not immediately return him to Mount Olympus, or worse, bring him before Zeus.

_So what now?_

A knock at the door broke Luhan out of his thoughts. “Come in,” he called out, but then instantly panicked. He hadn’t transformed back to Persephone yet. _How am I supposed to explain my presence here?_

Before he could do anything, the door opened, and a young man with magenta-colored hair walked in, a bowl of fruits in his hands. He looked to be around Luhan’s age, with the trademark blue eyes, and soft features. Like those he had seen in the Underworld, this man was also dressed in black. He gave Luhan a glance and calmly gave a bow.

“Your Majesty,” he began. “My name is Baekhyun. I was sent by King Hades to take care of you. He said you have been feeling unwell after your return from Mount Olympus.” he explained. He said nothing more, but went over to a table and placed the fruits down. He glanced around and seemed surprised by the vines and plants in the bedchamber.

Meanwhile, Luhan stared at Baekhyun, mystified by his presence and attitude. He did not seem shocked or surprised that it was not Queen Persephone in the bedchamber. This could only mean one thing: Hades had informed him beforehand.

“Did the king say anything else?” he asked carefully.

“The king suggested a stroll around the Underworld may improve your health," Baekhyun answered. "Should you wish to follow his advice, I would be more than happy to show you around,” he said honestly. Luhan nodded and closed his eyes in relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It's a short update. I've thought about writing an additional scene on the fates of Mikhailis and Zenoch, but in the end, I've decided to save it until later in the story. Anyways, there you have it. Their first meeting! I've meant to update a bit sooner, but I've been down with a flu, so the last week have been kinda slow. :(
> 
> As always, thank you for your constant support, and please make sure to leave a comment on what you think! :)


	7. A new home

With Hades’ subtle acknowledgment, Luhan was finally able to relax. Curious, he went over to the table. He hadn’t eaten anything since his arrival to the Underworld and was eager to see what type of food they have. He picked up a particular fruit and examined it. There was an element of intrigue that drew his interest. With an enticing shade of deep red, Luhan stared at it in fascination as he ran his fingers through its flawless surface. It looked like an apple, only smoother in shape and texture, with a flower-shaped stem.

Realizing how hard the skin was, he knew there was no way he could bite into it. Instead, he squeezed and broke the fruit in half. Looking inside, he could make out the jewel-like seeds shining like red diamonds. He lifted one and brought it to his lips.It had a tart yet sweet taste, something that was foreign to him. He took another bite, savoring the mix of crunchy seeds and juice.

He heard a soft laugh and turned. Baekhyun stared at him, studying him with an amused expression.

“What is it?” Luhan asked.

“I just find it interesting that you chose your sister’s favorite fruit on your first day here,” Baekhyun replied matter-of-factly.

Luhan blinked in surprise. _How do you know we are related,_ he wanted to ask. “Oh, I know who you are,” said Baekhyun. “It’s not that difficult to tell anyway. You two look too alike to be called strangers.”

Once again, Luhan was at a loss for words. Other than his mother, no one had ever commented on the resemblance between him and his sister. Then again, nobody knew of his existence in the universe.

“I guess our pomegranates are quite popular,” Baekhyun remarked casually, returning to his original topic.

Instantly, Luhan’s blood ran cold. “T-this is a pomegranate?” He gulped and promptly dropped the fruit. It fell onto the grass, tainting the green grass with wine-red seed and juice. _Oh, Gods, what have I done?_

Baekhyun nodded.

“The same pomegranate that, if consumed, would condemn a person to remain in the Underworld for eternity?” His mind was thrown into a frenzy as he tried to remember how many seeds he ate.

“The same pomegranate that, if consumed, would have no magical effects whatsoever,” Baekhyun told him as if speaking to a child. However, his explanation only further confused Luhan. This cursed fruit was the very reason why Persephone had to divide her time between Mount Olympus and the Underworld. If this was just an ordinary fruit, then why would Rhea lie?

“It was a plan the king and queen came up with,” Baekhyun explained. “If you wish to know more, I’m afraid you will have to ask the king yourself.”

Luhan shook his head. If possible, he would rather not see Hades ever again. One conversation was enough. _No matter_ , he told himself. He would find out the truth on his own. “Are there any places in the Underworld I am not allowed to enter?” he asked, trying to change the subject. Since this would be his home from now on, he might as well learn more about the Underworld.

“You are the queen. The entire realm is opened to you,” was the simple reply.

Luhan nodded. “Can you show me?”

Baekhyun smiled. “As you wish, my queen.”

* * *

"It was not always this structured.” Luhan listened attentively as Baekhyun explained to him the background of how the Underworld came to be. “The Underworld had long existed before the rise of the Olympians, but there was no one to regulate them.” The two had left the palace, and were walking around nearby areas. “The dead used to come and go as they please, and there was nothing we can do about it.”

“Why not?” Luhan asked curiously.

Baekhyun shrugged. “We are demigods,” he simply replied. “We are the bastard children nobody wanted. Too powerful to fit in with the mortals, but not strong enough to be part of the immortals,” He gave a sad smile. “Worst of all, we have no authority in the Underworld. The dead do not listen to us.” His eyes became haunted as he remembered his past. “Most of us were sent here against our will. I was five when I was taken away from my mortal mother and brought here.”

Luhan’s heart broke at that. “I am sorry,” he said sincerely.

Baekhyun blinked at him in surprise and smiled. "It was a long time ago." They came to a stop near the river Styx and sat down. “Besides,” Baekhyun continued. “We made our own family, so I was never alone down here.” He gave Luhan a crooked smile. Luhan smiled back.

“The conditions here improved after Hades became ruler of the Underworld,” he said as he gazed at the Styx. “He gave us the authority to maintain this place, and forbid the dead from ever leaving once they’ve entered the Underworld, thus restoring the balance between the living and the dead.

“Under normal circumstances, no living beings can enter the Underworld, but we do get occasional visitors from Mount Olympus, such as Zeus.” He paused as he studied Luhan’s reaction. Sure enough, the queen tensed at the mention of his father’s name. “But Hades is quite protective of his realm,” Baekhyun added. “So he rarely allows outsiders to enter unless it is absolutely necessary.” He stood up and helped Luhan to his feet. “You are safe here,” he assured him.

* * *

Luhan rose shakily to his feet. To say he was overwhelmed with everything Baekhyun had said would be an understatement. Back on Mount Olympus, he only knew about the Underworld through what little his mother and Persephone had told him. Even then, Immortals tend to avoid mentioning the realm, or its ruler. He now realized he knew very little about the realm. He sighed as he stared at the Styx. A gloomy stream of despair, filled with an infinite number of souls. They screamed and wailed, as they piled up to break through the river surface, only to topple back into the bottomless river.

Meanwhile, Baekhyun was silently observing Luhan. With the exception of the hair, he looked just like Queen Persephone. Baekhyun rarely visits Mount Olympus, but he had heard about the day when chaos reigned over Mount Olympus, as Zeus realized the trouble he has wrought with his selfish actions. _He deserves it._ Of all the ways Zeus could have used to make Demeter stay on Mount Olympus, he chose the cruelest, most humiliating one. In the end, he had no one but himself to blame.

“I am impressed,” he finally spoke up. Luhan turned and looked at him. “You have been standing near the Styx for quite some time now, and you seemed to be handling their screams quite well,” he said.

Luhan shrugged. “It does not feel pleasant, but not unpleasant, either.”

With that response, Baekhyun decided not to mention the fact that, when Persephone first came to the Underworld, she was driven to the brink of insanity by the cries. The wails and screams of the dead souls, along with the negativity that spread through the river, would wreak havoc on her emotions. For days, Persephone would scream and cry until she lost consciousness, and no one knew how to help her.

“Regardless,” said Baekhyun. “You are easily affected by the river Styx. For the sake of your health, please make sure you do not stand too close to the river, or spend too much time out here, Your Majesty.” He gave Luhan a meaningful look.

Luhan was caught off-guard by the formal title, but then remembered that he was here as Persephone. It was important that he knew what she was like in the Underworld. He nodded, “I will remember that."

Baekhyun smiled and got up. “There are still a few more places I would like to show you,” he said. He led Luhan along the Styx, further away from the palace, down a narrow path.

Along the way, Luhan noticed several sculptures. Faceless clay figures with limbs stretched and bent in unnatural angles, reaching yet never touching, seeking but never finding. He finally came upon a sculpture that seemed more normal than the rest. Two identical faceless figures, one white and one black, stood face to face, palm touching palm. For some inexplicable reason, Luhan seemed drawn to it. There was an element of familiarity about it that made him feel nostalgic.

“You like this statue,” Baekhyun said quietly. “You would stand in front of it and stare at it for so long, that sometimes we wondered if you have turned into a statue yourself.”

It took Luhan a while to realize he was referring to his sister. He frowned. This was not the first time the demigod mentioned his sister in an indirect way. Throughout their walk, he would casually bring up some of Persephone’s habits during her time in the Underworld, as if he was guiding Luhan into playing the role of Persephone.

“You are not just a servant, are you?” Luhan finally asked.

Baekhyun gave him a funny look. “I never said I was a servant, Your Majesty,” he said calmly. He placed his hand on one of the statues. “Besides, we have no servants here in the Underworld. As you can see, we are not exactly a welcoming place for the living,” he added, gesturing to the dreary place. Luhan stood awkwardly, embarrassed by his assumptions.

“Please do not worry about it,” said Baekhyun. “I hear Mount Olympus is teeming with servants, eager to satisfy the immortals’ every need. It is easy to associate us with that as well.” He smiled softly. “I am actually one of Hades’ general, or more accurately, one of his advisors. Until you fully understand your role as the queen, I have been instructed to take care of you.”

Luhan detected an underlying meaning beneath the explanation. “Only to take care of me?” he asked. _And not to spy on me?_ The unspoken question hung in the air in silence.

Baekhyun nodded. “It is essential that you learn your way around the Underworld,” he explained. “You rarely leave your bedchamber, and you never wish to know anything about the Underworld. Now that you have decided to take on your responsibilities as the queen, I have been tasked to guide you through your duties.” A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. “Of course, if you are not comfortable with this arrangement, I could ask the king to personally help you instead.”

“That will not be necessary,” Luhan said quickly. He knew there was no love between him and Hades. While he was grateful that Hades had allowed him to hide in the Underworld, he had no intentions of establishing any ties with the God himself. After what happened in the bedchamber, Luhan intended to avoid the god at all cost.

The demigod tilted his head at the immediate refusal but nodded. “Would you like to visit other areas, then?” he asked. Luhan nodded eagerly.

* * *

They walked further away from the palace, away from the river Styx, until they came upon a wasteland. Dead trees stood, stripped bare, a skeletal remnant of its former glory. Branches hung weakly, clinging to what little life they had left. Luhan’s heart clenched at the sight of wilted grass and flowers drooping in despair, waiting, hoping against hope, for a slim chance of revival.

Baekhyun noted his sad face. “You made a lot of efforts here, Your Majesty, but I am afraid our realm is not a suitable place for nature.”

Luhan looked at him for a moment in silence. His heart broke as he surveyed the barren land, void of life, with dead plants and trees as a reminder of what it used to be. By impulse, he bent down to a wilted flower and kissed it. Straightaway, the flower came alive. Its petals changed from a deathly black to a lively blue, and its scrawny stem thickened and strengthened until it stood proudly in a shade of green. Its wrinkly leaves lifted, and Baekhyun watched in wonder as the flower bloomed before their very eyes, a tiny but beautiful representation of nature in the gloomy land.

Luhan stood up and looked at Baekhyun with determination. “Then I shall keep trying until I have restored this piece of land back to its former glory,” he said. “It would be a shame to waste such a beautiful place.”

Once again, Baekhyun was surprised. No one has ever called the Underworld beautiful before. _He is different from Persephone_. “As Queen of the Underworld, the entire realm is open to you,” he managed to say. “You may do whatever you please.”

The rest of the day was spent on Baekhyun showing Luhan other areas of the Underworld. He pointed out each section of the realm, its purpose, and the responsibilities they entailed. By the time they left Tartarus, Luhan was on the verge of collapsing. As his mind went through the number of things he must do as queen, he wondered if there was a less stressful place to hide.

Baekhyun chuckled at his exhausted look. “Usually, the king handles everything,” he said. “It is only when he is not in the Underworld that those responsibilities would fall on you.” They came to a stop in front of the queen’s bedchamber. “If you need anything, just summon me,” he told Luhan.

The new queen smiled. “Thank you, Baekhyun,” he replied. The demigod gave a bow and waited until he has entered the bedchamber before leaving.

* * *

Luhan took a deep breath as he looked around the bedchamber once again. Until he figured out a permanent way to escape Rhea’s prophecy, this would be his new home. He thought about the wasteland and decided that could be his way of repaying Hades. Whatever his sister was unable to do, he would make it happen in her stead. It was the least he could do for the God who allowed him to stay. _Plus, the last thing I want is to owe him anything_.

He now felt slightly less scared than when he first arrived in the Underworld. He thought about his mother and sister. Within a day, they went from inseparable to completely shattered. He now hid in the darkness of the Underworld under the guise of his sister. His mother remained imprisoned on Mount Olympus. His sister? Well, he had no idea where she was, and perhaps that’s for the best. Tears welled up in his eyes as a deep sense of loneliness stabbed his heart like a jagged knife. A tiny twig appeared by the bed and wrapped itself around his wrist. It squeezed his wrist as if reassuring him otherwise. Luhan smiled softly. “It’s all right,” he whispered. “I will be all right.” He closed his eyes.

_For their sakes, I have to be all right._  

* * *

He looked up when Baekhyun entered his study. “Well?” he asked.

“He seems to be adjusting well to the Underworld,” Baekhyun reported. “He even managed to make a flower bloom in the grove.” The god leaned back in this chair but said nothing. Baekhyun hesitated at what he was about to say next. “He also seems to be afraid of you.”

Hades gave him a cool stare. “Oh?”

Undaunted, Baekhyun continued. “Of course, it could just be my imagination, but it seems like our new queen does not wish to have anything to do with you,” he said almost accusingly.

Hades raised an eyebrow. “You like him,” he said pointedly.

Baekhyun shrugged but didn’t say anything. Hades sat, motionless, waiting patiently for Baekhyun to continue.

“He is different,” he finally said and left it at that.

Hades pondered at this for a moment and sat up. “I need you to clear out the guest chamber,” he instructed, “Our… guest has outstayed her welcome. Tell her she may either return to the Cocytus or leave the Underworld altogether. It is her choice.”

Baekhyun seemed indifferent to this, but inside he was ecstatic. _It is about time_. “Of course, Your Majesty,” he answered with a bow.

“Also,” Hades continued. “Spread the word: The queen’s authority is equal to mine. His word equals my word. I will not allow anyone to show any disrespect towards him.”

Baekhyun nodded. “I will get to it straight away.” With another bow, he left the study. _Interesting_ , he thought as he walked down the hallway. Hades may have sounded aloof, but Baekhyun knew better. The god was never this attentive with Persephone when she was here.

_Or with anyone, for that matter_ , he thought with a smile.

_Things are about to get a whole lot interesting around here_.

 


	8. Styx

The Styx was an intriguing entity in itself. One of the few water sources in the Underworld, yet no living being would dare to drink or swim in the Styx. A focal point of the Underworld, it served as a gateway for the dead. However, this portal did not come without a price.

Charon, the ferryman, had existed long before Hades took control of the Underworld. Back then, he was under the impression that his services deserved some form of credit. With no real authority, Charon took it upon himself to and created a rule where all souls were required to pay an obol to cross the river Styx. By the time Charon realized he had made a fortune but had nowhere to spend it, his rule had already become a ritual in the mortal world. When Hades became ruler of the Underworld, he saw no need to change the long-standing routine, so things at the Styx remained unchanged.

Despite the mortals’ efforts in performing the proper rituals for the deceased, not everyone was buried with an obol. Those who were unable to pay the ferry fare became trapped by the entrance, forced to wander around the edge of the river for one hundred years. In time, the edge of the river became crowded. The dead became restless. Their anger rose with each passing day, as they watched with envy each time the boat floated away from them. In time, those wandering dead became vicious, more aggressive. They became more vocal with their frustrations. They screamed their misfortunes, raged about their grudges, and moaned of their tragic pasts. They became vicious, more aggressive. They fought over what little space there was by the entrance, and it was not long before some unfortunate souls were pushed or shoved into the river.

No one, not even Charon, knew just how deep the Styx went. All they knew was that the souls that fell into the Styx never came out again. Pale arms reached upwards, grasping for anything to pull them out of the river.  Dead souls piled together, clamoring to escape from their watery prison. Some did, but only briefly. A glimpse of the entrance was all they got before they sank back into the infinite depths of their watery grave. They wailed at the unfairness, pleading for mercy, yet, they were never heard. Life in the Underworld continued as if they did not exist.

* * *

A screech caused Luhan to sit up in a panic. His wide eyes darted frantically around, trying to locate the source.  _Oh, right._  He shoulders sagged in relief. Lying down, he stared blankly at the ceiling. The vines hung and swayed leisurely as if trying to soothe him. He inhaled deeply and forced himself to calm down.  _Just screams_ , Luhan told himself.  _Just screams from the Styx, nothing more_.

Old residents of the Underworld have grown accustomed to the Styx, and newcomers eventually learned to tune out those terrifying noises. Luhan, however, seemed to be having trouble with this particular adjustment. He had been unable to rest properly since his arrival. The screams would creep up on him when he least expected it, chilling him to his core. Luhan had tried to use his plants but was met with little success. He attempted to ask Baekhyun for help, but the demigod told him this was something he must overcome on his own. So, Luhan had no choice but to try and tolerate the random shrieks and wails that ripped into his ears in a nightmarish plague.

* * *

When Baekhyun met the queen in the grove again, he almost did not recognize him. Luhan looked thinner and paler. Exhaustion was written all across his face. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he looked as if he had not been sleeping much. His movements seemed sluggish, like an old man. He reminded Baekhyun of Persephone during her final days before she left the Underworld. Like a dying soul, frightened by the gradual departure of life, but could do nothing to prevent it.

“You look unwell, Your Majesty,” was all he could say.

Luhan tried to smile. “The Styx seemed very… active these days,” he replied.

He knew what Baekhyun wanted to say, but he did not want to look weak in front of the demigod. It was his choice to take his sister’s place. He was in a new realm, with new rules, and he must respect that no matter what. The last thing he wanted was to come off as weak or petulant.

Baekhyun sighed, and sat down at a nearby rock. “Most of the souls there were not given a proper burial,” he explained. “Because they could not pay the ferry fee, they could never find peace. The only thing left to do was to dwell on their past.” He turned to Luhan. “Do you know what that feels like? Trapped in the memories of the past? Forced to reminisce past grudges and misfortunes every moment you are here? Lamenting over your mistakes again and again?” He gave a sad smile. “Before long, their negative emotions became their only source of strength.” Baekhyun gestured to the river. “Their screams and wails became their only way of expressing their agony and despair.

“Hades could have done something about them, but he chose not to. He said their voices are all they have left. It would be cruel to take that away from them, too.” His hand ran idly through the soft grass. They did not exist the last time he was here. Baekhyun smiled softly. He had to admire the queen for his determination. The demigod knew how hard he had been working in the grove, trying to revive it despite his current physical state.

“I did not understand it at first, but the more I listen to their cries, the more I would start to hear something other than the usual anger and sadness,” he said.

“Such as?” Luhan asked in curiosity.

“Guilt, regret, shame,” Baekhyun listed. “When you are dead, you have all the time in the world, but nothing to do,” he explained. “In a way, that is a form of punishment. You end up thinking a lot. Missed opportunities, things you wish you have said or done. Mortals only live once, you see, and there are no second chances after you died.

“So you can imagine how they feel, the gateway that leads to their final resting place is just a river away, but they could neither move forward nor go back. They are forced to wallow in their sorrows, failures, and wrongdoings, helpless to do anything except to cry and wail with each other.” He sighed deeply. “I used to find them an absolute nuisance, but when you view them from another perspective, they are quite tragic.”

“Is that why you are unaffected by them?” Luhan asked softly.

Baekhyun shrugged. “Perhaps,” he answered. “I supposed when you learn to empathize with them, they do not sound so bad.” He gave Luhan a sympathetic smile. “I know it is hard at the beginning, but eventually you will be able to tolerate their screams too,” he encouraged. Baekhyun did not point out that, compared to Persephone, Luhan had been coping way better with his new life in the Underworld. He was, however, concerned about the new queen’s appearance, and made a note to mention this to the king later.

Luhan did not say anything. Truthfully, he had hoped for more practical advice from the demigod, or at least ways to get an uninterrupted night of sleep. It would seem this was something he must handle on his own. There was no backing out now.  _I choose to stay in the Underworld, so I will think of a way to get through this_ , he told himself. He took a deep breath and turned his attention to the dying trees before him.  _It is just a matter of time._

And right now, he has nothing but time.

* * *

Luhan rubbed his eyes tiredly as he entered the palace. He made his way down the ominous-looking hallway, joining the dark and grey shadows that danced along the burning torches. So tired, that he barely flinched when he walked past the horrific yet familiar statues. It was a journey he knew well by this point. His life in the Underworld was simple. He either spent it in his bedchamber with his plants or in the grove. While Luhan could handle the screams when he was busy with his work, there was nothing to keep him preoccupied while he relax. He now understood why his sister looked so sick each time she returned from the Underworld. The Styx had not only affected him physically but also mentally and emotionally.

When was the last time he got any proper rest? Luhan could not tell. Without the sun and moon, it was difficult for him to say whether it was day or night. In the Underworld, time was irrelevant, meaningless to those who no longer count their remaining years, or worry about their eventual deaths. No one cared about time in the realm of death because time was no longer of the essence. His mind was torn between the eagerness to rest and the dread of closing his eyes. It was a sad contradiction, really, to dread something he desperately needed.

On top of being kept awake by the screams, Luhan had been suffering from nightmares. This was something he did not tell Baekhyun. They started out as vague, abstract scenes he would forget almost as soon as he woke up. Later on, though, they became more frequent and terrifyingly realistic. For nights, he would be jolted awake by the torturous images that seemed to have burned into his mind. Beng swallowed by his father, his mother and sister torn into pieces while he watched helplessly, feeling choked alive as he drowned in a river of dead souls, disturbing images that not even he, an immortal, could control.

Luhan was at his wit’s end. A part of him wanted to reach out to Hades for help, yet the thought of asking the God for help scared him. He had already troubled him enough by hiding in the Underworld, and he was not about to further indebt himself to the ruler of the Underworld over something as trivial as a couple of bad dreams. Baekhyun did say he would get used to it someday, so he hoped that day would come soon.

He rounded a corner and stopped short. A black hooded figure stood outside of his bedchamber, giving off an air of solemnity. Luhan tilted his head.  _Now what?_  He had half a mind to walk into his bedchamber without acknowledging him but decided against it. Dutifully he walked up to Hades and gave a bow.

“King Hades,” he greeted.

If Hades was surprised by his appearance, he did not show it. He merely stood while Luhan waited for his response.

“I just…” Hades hesitated. “Wanted to see how you are settling in our realm,” he finally managed to say.

Luhan stiffened.  _How do you think I am doing?_  “I am well, as you can see,” he replied with forced politeness. “Thank you for asking.”

Hades noted his weary face and frowned, but before he could say anything, Luhan interrupted him. “It has been a long day, and I am quite tired,” he said. “If there is nothing else, I would like to retire to my bedchamber.”

The god looked at him, his face unreadable, but finally turned and walked away.

Luhan stared after him, and for a moment, felt slightly guilty for cutting their conversation short. Hades seemed cold, but not heartless. He had, after all, provided him with a new hiding place from the prying eyes of Mount Olympus. Also, with what Baekhyun had told him about the Styx, he hardly seemed like a terrible god. At least, he was not as egotistical or tyrannical as the rest of his family.

He entered his bedchamber and dragged his fatigue body to the bed. Slipping under the covers, he yawned as he finally allowed his mind to relax. He closed his eyes and was out in mere moments.

* * *

Her blue-green eyes glowered with rage as she watched Luhan disappeared into the queen’s bedchamber, her soft face twisted into an envious look.

Minthe had never met this man before, but it certainly wasn’t difficult to guess. The resemblance between him and Persephone was uncanny.  _Damn her_ , Minthe mentally cursed,  _and damn him!_  She stepped out from her hiding place; her pale green hair flowed in a fury. The naiad did not know how Demeter managed to deceive the universe, but none of that mattered. Once again, her plans to take Persephone’s place as Queen of the Underworld were ruined. Her body trembled in anger as she fought the urge to confront the new occupant of the queen’s bedchamber, the same bedchamber that would have been hers had Persephone not appeared.

She was so close to taking the throne from Persephone. It was clear that there was no love between Hades and Persephone. Hades may have made Persephone queen, but they never formally consummate their relationship. In fact, the two were rarely seen together. Minthe had hoped that would be her chance to achieve her goal. She had coveted the queen’s title for so long, fantasized of a life with Hades for almost a century. The nymph thought she was one step closer to winning Hades’ heart when the king granted her request to move into the palace. Even though the king hardly paid her any attention, her presence in the palace gave her more opportunities to see him. She cared little about what Persephone thought of her actions. Then again, Persephone did not care much about her sharing the palace, either. She merely went about her duties each day as if Minthe did not exist.

She did not think much of it when the queen returned from Mount Olympus. It wasn't until she was unceremoniously sent back to the Cocytus River that she realized something was wrong.  _I should have known_. Hades had always been indifferent when it came to Persephone, but he went as far as to send one of his trusted advisors and confidante to be this man’s personal servant and even took the time to ask about this man’s well-being. That could only mean one thing: he was special in Hades’ eyes.

The more Minthe thought about what she saw in the palace, the more enraged she became. Her jaw clenched as she fought the scream that bubbled up her throat, and threatened to burst out of her mouth. Her hands knotted into fists, fingers digging into flesh.

_If I cannot have Hades, no one can_.


	9. Nightmares

_He strolled through the forest, admiring the tall strong oak trees that represented the pillars of this enchanted land. His heart swelled at the bellis that blossomed across the fields and decorated the bright green grass with dainty white and yellow. Luhan smiled and leaned in closer, savoring the floral scent that floated through the air. He gazed up into the clear blue skies and sighed in contentment. It was a beautiful day. He skipped and twirled around the trees and felt the gentle wind breezed through his hair. He laughed aloud._ If this is a dream, then I hope I never wake up from it.

_“Luhan!”_

_He recognized his mother’s voice immediately. Excited, he ran through the forest whilst searching for his mother. Where is she? He could not wait to show her this place. His eyes darted about wildly, trying to find his mother in a sea of green._

_“Brother,” another voice called out._

Persephone _. Luhan smiled. “I am here,” he shouted as he ran faster. Soft, green grass carpeted his bare feet as he ran, wind swishing past his face. He dodged as a tree came into sight._

_“Where are you?” he shouted. There was no answer. He looked around. “Mother?” Luhan called out. He was met with silence. “Perse?” Still no answer. Eventually, Luhan stopped running. “Mother? Sister?”_

_He panted as he looked around the lush green forest. The sunshine disappeared, and any joy Luhan felt before evaporated. Without the sun, the forest began to transform into an ominous land of hidden danger, which greatly unsettled him._

_Cautiously, Luhan took a step forward. “Mother?” he called out. He walked faster, desperately seeking an exit. “Perse?”_

_So absorbed with finding his family, Luhan did not notice the root on the ground until he tripped right over it. He grunted as his body hit the dry, hard ground. Groaning, he rubbed his head and paused._ What happened to the grass? _He looked up, and his breath hitched._

_Dead tree stumps marked the remnant of once magnificent trees. The formerly beautiful flowers, now marred with brown and black, lay shriveled and wilted on the ground. Luhan took a step back and flinched as he heard a loud crunch beneath his feet. He looked down and stared horrified at the dead brown leaves that spread across the dried-up grass._ What happened? _His heart broke at the sight of wasteland that now lay before him._

_He felt the panic rise up within him. “Mother,” he yelled, “Persephone!” He looked around frantically. They had to be here somewhere. He heard them called his name. They had to be here._

_He heard a sound behind him and immediately whirled around. His blood ran cold._

_He stood a short distance away. Shining blue eyes pierced straight into him, like a predator eyeing its prey. Grey-blonde hair adorned with a golden olive wreath, his sharp facial features exuded an air of supremacy. Luhan had never met this man before, but deep down he knew exactly who he was._

_Zeus, King of the Gods, his father, the one who would stop at nothing to maintain his reign, even if it meant destroying his own flesh and blood. Without thinking, Luhan started running. His feet pounded on the dried earth like a frenzied animal. As he listened to the footsteps behind him, Luhan forced his legs to move faster. He did not know where he was going. He just wanted, no, needed, to get away from Zeus._

_He could see a light just up ahead. Without thinking, he sped up. Even though he could no longer hear footsteps behind him, Luhan wasn’t about to take any chances. He panted as he finally burst out from the dark forest, and felt the first bit of warmth hit his face. The relief was only temporarily, as his ground beneath him gave way, and then he was falling, spiraling down an endless abyss._

_Ice cold water flooded his nostrils and throat, stabling his body like a thousand needles. He opened his eyes to pitch blackness. Luhan struggled to breathe as his arms flailed clumsily against the heavy currents. His lungs burned desperately for air in his watery prison. He looked up but saw nothing but darkness. He kicked his legs and tried to swim. Yet, the harder he kicked, the quicker he sank._

_From far away, he could hear rumbling, muddled sounds that crept closer and closer like a stealthy beast. He twisted around, his eyes strained as he stared hard into the dark aquatic abyss. It gradually drowned out the silence and filled his ears with terrifying moans that made him shudder._

_A long, pale hand shot out from the darkness and grabbed him by the shoulder. It grabbed his ankle, causing Luhan to scream. More and more hands shot out and held him in place. Soon, his view was filled with the deformed and bloated faces of the dead. Their bodies were disfigured beyond recognition, cuts and gaping bloody wounds substituted the places where their eyes, noses, and lips used to be, rotten bones protruded from their bodies as they piled onto Luhan. He felt his limbs being pulled and yanked in every direction, the searing pain of hair being ripped from his scalp, flesh being torn away from his face, sharp nails scratched at his body like claws. All the while, he could do nothing but be pulled apart like a puppet, as the rumbling in his ears became clearer, turning to words, a phrase that pierced through his heart and soul like a hot branding iron._

_Destroy him._   
  


* * *

He woke up in a sweat, gasping desperately for air. His eyes were blurred with tears as his arms flailed about, trying to break out of his restraints.

The arms around him tightened. “Calm down,” he heard a voice say. Luhan paid him no heed and continued to struggle.

“Calm down,” the voice repeated, this time with an authoritative tone.

For reasons unknown, Luhan’s body began to relax. Slowly, his breathing returned to normal, and his vision started to clear. He opened his eyes and found himself staring straight into a pair of black, fathomless eyes.

_What is Hades doing here?_

Luhan took a deep breath. All was silent in his bedchamber. He closed his eyes for a moment. _It’s all right,_ he told himself. _Zeus isn’t here. You are safe. You’re not on Mount Olympus. You’re in the Underworld. Zeus isn’t here._

Hades was still there when he opened his eyes. His mind now clear, Luhan could feel the awkwardness setting in. The fact that he was nestled in the god’s arms didn’t help matters much, either.

“My apologies for causing you any inconvenience, your majesty,” said Luhan. He shifted to move away from Hades but was forced to stay put when the arms around him tightened.

“Sehun,” Hades finally spoke up.

Luhan blinked. “What?”

“My name. My real name. It’s Sehun.”

That baffled Luhan. Since when did the God of the Underworld go by another name? But before he could say anything, Hades (or Sehun) pressed his head onto his shoulder.

“Sleep,” he commanded. There was something soothing and hypnotizing about his voice, causing Luhan’s eyes to droop. “I’m here.”

Perhaps it was the nightmare, or because Luhan had been sleep-deprived for the past several days, but he found himself closing his eyes. It wasn’t long before he drifted back to sleep.

For once, there were no nightmares.  
  


* * *

Baekhyun sat by the Styx, casually watching the never-ending activities in the river. The cries of despair filled the air, but he remained indifferent to it.

Someone ran up to him. “Where is the king?”

Baekhyun turned and regarded the newcomer with an arched eyebrow. “My dear Kyungsoo, out of all the generals, you see the king the most? Why are you asking me?”

“Save it, Baekhyun. Who else am I going to ask?“ Kyungsoo demanded furiously. “A while ago, you went to see the king. Afterward, he dropped everything and left his study without giving a reason. What on earth would possess him to leave like that?”

_I don’t know how Jongin does it,_ Baekhyun thought with a sigh. Kyungsoo’s temper was matched only by his tremendous strength. No one was immune from it, not even the king himself.

Baekhyun shrugged. “You know I have been busy caring for the queen, so naturally, whatever I reported would be related to her,” he said.

That caused Kyungsoo to frown. “The queen?” he repeated. “What did she do this time?” For as long as he could remember, since her arrival, all Queen Persephone would do was scream and cry, demanding to be sent home. When Persephone was taken back to Mount Olympus, Kyungsoo had prayed fervently that she’d never return. So imagine his shock when he heard that, not only did she return, but the king has tasked Baekhyun to be her personal servant.

“It’s nothing, really,” said Baekhyun. “I told the king that the queen has been plagued by nightmares lately, and seems to be in great distress.” He tilted his head as if he was deep in thought, then looked up. “That’s all,” he added nonchalantly.

Kyungsoo’s eyes almost fell out of his sockets.

_The king… dropped everything… to go to the queen… because she has… nightmares?_

Kyungsoo’s mind was in a whirl. He recalled that one time when the queen had severe headaches due to the cries from the river. The king had waited until he finished all of his work before going off to see her. However, all the queen did was yelled and screamed at him. After that, the king had kept a distance from the queen’s palace.

_So why…_

“Do you still remember the king’s orders?” Baekhyun’s question broke into his thoughts.

Kyungsoo nodded, not sure where this was headed. He didn’t understand it at the time. Not only did the king specifically requested Baekhyun to take care of the queen, but he also laid down the law and declared the queen’s word to be of equal importance to his. The entire realm was to be opened to her, including those forbidden grounds.

Kyungsoo thought Sehun had finally lost it.

“She’s good,” Baekhyun finally said. So far, he and the king were the only ones who knew the queen wasn’t Persephone. Yet he knew that, once Luhan settled into the realm’s environment, others would be meet him soon. Sehun’s generals were his confidante and advisors, and he’d kept nothing from them.

Kyungsoo stared at him in disbelief. “What did you just say?”

“She’s good,” Baekhyun repeated. Kyungsoo may have a bad temper, but he was surprisingly easy to get along with. Despite his blunt and sometimes grumpy personality, he was also incredibly loyal, and very protective of his king and fellow generals. Otherwise, he wouldn’t still be standing here today, especially after all those times when he’d challenged the king’s authority, or told him off for being cold and standoffish, or yelled at him for being wrong (in Kyungsoo’s opinion)

“Once you’ve seen her, you’ll like her too,” Baekhyun continued. “She truly is meant to be Queen of the Underworld,” he added cryptically.

Kyungsoo shook his head. “You’re crazy,” he said flatly. Baekhyun shrugged and turned around to leave. Kyungsoo chased after him. "Hey, you still haven't answered my question," he protested.

Baekhyun didn’t answer him but continued to walk down the river. Suddenly, he stopped short, causing Kyungsoo to bump right into him. The demigod looked ready to explode until he noticed Baekhyun staring at something with a surprised look on his face. He followed Baekhyun’s gaze and realized they were now near the King’s palace. He watched as Sehun entered the palace, carrying someone in his arms. What stunned Kyungsoo wasn’t the fact that the king was carrying someone, but the vines that trailed after him.

“What in the gods’ name…” he muttered in wonder.

Baekhyun, on the other hand, was fixated on the king, who was walking a bit slower than usual, arms wrapped protectively around the sleeping figure. He’d never seen Sehun cared about anything, much less anyone, like this. He stared at them thoughtfully, his mind forming a speculation.

“Care to explain that?” Kyungsoo demanded behind him.

Baekhyun didn’t bother to turn around. “I’m leaving,” he announced calmly.

Kyungsoo held onto his hand. “What are you not telling me, Baekhyun?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. Baekhyun had never kept anything from him.

Baekhyun gently took his hand back. “I’m going to give you a piece of advice,” he said. “In the future, no matter how urgent the matter is, do not go barging into the king’s palace.” With that, he walked away.

“What kind of advice is that?!” Kyungsoo asked incredulously. “Hey, I’m talking to you!” He chased after Baekhyun, leaving the river of wailing dead behind.  
  


* * *

Luhan slowly opened his eyes. He hadn’t slept this peacefully since he first arrived in the Underworld. He looked up, and the first thing he saw was Hades’ expressionless face. The second thing was that he was in bed, lying in Hades’ arms.

“Are you awake?” the god asked softly.

“You… Hades… What…”

“Sehun,” the god corrected.

Luhan didn’t know what to say. He tried moving his body and realized Sehun didn’t seem to have any intentions of letting him go. It didn’t feel unpleasant. In fact, it made him feel… safe.

“Baekhyun told me you’ve been having nightmares,” said Sehun. He observed him for a while. “You don’t look so good.”

Luhan sighed. Perhaps he shouldn’t have been so forthcoming with Baekhyun. Then again, as his personal servant and the only other being who knew of his existence, Luhan felt inclined to trust him.

“Well, I’m fine now,” he said bluntly. Once again, he tried to get out of Sehun’s embrace, only to feel them tightened around him.

“It’s my fault,” said Sehun.

At that, Luhan stopped moving. He looked at the god and for a moment thought he saw remorse flashed through those dead eyes.

“I didn’t know the dead would affect you so much,” he continued. “But it won’t happen again.”

Luhan blinked in confusion. “Huh?” He looked around, and that’s when he realized something.

This was not his bedchamber.

The room was spacious but sparsely decorated. A few candles flickered, giving Luhan just enough light to study his surroundings. Other than a bed and a large wooden desk nearby, the place was empty and completely void of life. For a while, Luhan was briefly brought back to his own room back on Mount Olympus.   

“What is this place?” Luhan asked carefully.

“My palace,” Sehun replied simply.

Luhan’s eyes shot up in surprise. “You… palace?” His mind went blank. Shouldn’t palaces be… more grand-looking than this?

“From now you will be staying here. The dead cannot affect you here,” Sehun declared. Ideally, Luhan should adjust to life in the Underworld on his own, but seeing the way he looked now, Sehun decided to step in.

Luhan gulped at that. “L-live here?” Not the way he thought… right?

“Something wrong?” Sehun asked, his eyes darkening.

“Isn’t… isn’t this _your_ palace?” Luhan asked in a small voice.

“You are the queen of the Underworld, aren’t you?” the god countered.

Luhan couldn’t argue with that. To be honest, he’d never considered himself the queen. He’d thought what he and Sehun shared was nothing but an arrangement. The Underworld needed a queen, and Luhan needed a place to hide. That was the deal, wasn’t it? He pondered whether he should refuse the god’s suggestion and return to the queen’s palace. However, the memories of what Persephone had told him about Sehun and the events that occurred the first time they met were enough to keep Luhan quiet.

Meanwhile, Sehun stared at Luhan’s ever-changing face with amusement but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t like Luhan was given a choice, and he knew it. Luhan’s final sigh of defeat told him the boy had accepted his new living arrangements.

"Rest now," he said to Luhan. "Once you've recovered, there's something I want to show you." He watched as Luhan closed his eyes and smiled a little.

_It is time you accept your title and responsibilities as queen of the Underworld._

 


	10. Loneliness

Baekhyun sat by the Styx and watched as countless arms rose out of the water, reaching, grasping blindly in thin air. They sank back into the river, and more arms would rise again. It was a repetitive cycle, one that Baekhyun, along with many residents of the Underworld, had grown accustomed to. Idly, he put his arm out, just out of reach for the dead, and watched as fingers stretched in an effort to hold, or even to touch his arm. None ever came close. The wails around him grew louder as more and more arms clamored towards him. Baekhyun kept still, unfazed by the commotion.

“You are being cruel,” a voice said behind him. A hand reached out and pulled his arm away from the river. Almost immediately, the dead scurried away.

“Spoilsport,” Baekhyun muttered.

Chanyeol sat down next to him. “It is unkind to taunt the dead,” he said.

Baekhyun pouted but said nothing. His lover rolled his eyes. “Have you finished already?”

He nodded. “The queen has retired for the night,” he replied.

His lover grunted. “I don’t even know why you put up with her,” he said.

Baekhyun shrugged casually. For a while, nobody spoke. They simply sat in a comfortable silence, watching Charon’s boat sailed along the river, multiple arms trailing behind him.

“I managed to check on her on my way back,” Chanyeol finally spoke up. At that, Baekhyun stiffened. “She is doing well,” he continued. “She is older now, and tends to be forgetful from time to time.” Baekhyun remained silent, but Chanyeol could see tears welled up in his eyes. “She is still in good health though,” he added. “Her master is kind enough to let her stay on as a nursemaid, and they have hired another maid to share some of her responsibilities.”

Baekhyun stared straight ahead, but his quivering lips betrayed his emotions. “Is she… does she still…” He struggled to form the question.

Chanyeol pulled him close. “She will never forget you, Baek,” he told him. “A mother never forgets her child.” He kissed his forehead tenderly. “She still wears your locket around her neck.”

Tears flowed down Baekhyun’s face. It was a curse they all bear as demigods. Separated from their mortal families against their will, and never allowed to see them again until they have reached the end of the mortal lives.

“She is alive and well,” Chanyeol reminded him. “That is what matters most, is it not?” He wounded his arms tightly around him. “She is alive,” he repeated, hoping the demigod understood what that signified.

Baekhyun was one of the few fortunate ones, with his mortal mother still alive and well. Chanyeol, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky. He still dreamed of that fateful night as he watched helplessly while his entire family was burned to death. The frightful screams of his mother and sister before they were forever silenced by the scorching flames still haunt him to this day. His father’s last words, ordering him to run and never look back before their home collapsed into a burning pile of rubble. A godly figure, fitted in a fiery red-and-gold armor, his face partially hidden by his helmet, but even that could not conceal the look of excitement as he watched the family succumbed to their tragic fates.

That was how Chanyeol discovered the truth about his identity. Ares, God of War, might be his father, but in his eyes, he was a nothing but a murderer who destroyed his life within one night. Because of him, for a while, his family was forced to wander around the river as they were unable to pay Charon the ferry fee.

_Had Sehun not shown mercy…_

He was brought out of his reverie by a hand on his cheek. Silvery-blue orbs stared into his own as Baekhyun caressed his cheek and gradually coaxed him out from those painful memories. “I know,” he told him.

Chanyeol’s face softened. He grasped Baekhyun’s hand and gave it a kiss. “I thought I was supposed to be the one comforting you.” Baekhyun simply buried his face into his chest. That got a smile out of Chanyeol. He hugged him close. “I’m so glad I found you,” he whispered.

Baekhyun poked him in the chest. “I am so glad we found each other,” he corrected.

Sailing by in the river, Charon rolled his eyes in disgust. “Get a room, you two!” he yelled and threw an obol at them.

* * *

Luhan stared blankly at the ceiling. True to Hades’ words, the nightmares had stopped soon after he moved into the king’s palace. However, he still couldn’t adjust to the idea of being in the place as the king. Hades had been generous enough to let him have the bedchamber practically to himself. The place was usually empty, but there were nights when Luhan would feel a presence in the dark, watching him. Yet when he woke up, he was all alone.

He thought about his mother and sister. _I wondered if they are all right_. What would their reactions be once they discovered his deception? So far, everything was quiet in the Underworld, and Mount Olympus hadn’t sent anyone.

_That is good, right?_ After all, no news meant good news. Yet somehow, Luhan couldn’t shake the feeling that all was not well on Mount Olympus. Perhaps Zeus did find out about him and was plotting his demise this very moment. He’d hoped coming to the Underworld would provide some form of protection from the Olympians, but how long would this protection last? Would their arrangement still stand if Zeus showed Hades a more lucrative offer? A place amongst the Olympians, perhaps? Or a chance to leave the Underworld once and for all and be a real god? A chill went up Luhan’s spine as he came to the realization that things were not as simple as they seem, and coming here was not as safe as he’d thought.

He sighed and sat up. It was pointless to worry about the uncertain. He got out of bed and got dressed. If he was going to repay Hades for allowing him to stay, he might as well be productive with his time.

Baekhyun was waiting for him by the entrance. He gave him a bow. “Good morning, Your Majesty,” he said.

Luhan nodded in acknowledgment. Together, the two made their way through the forlorn-looking wasteland, before coming to a stop by a large pond, surrounded by patches of flowers and trees. Luhan smiled at the flowers and trees that had managed to thrive even in the harsh conditions of the Underworld. It wasn’t much, but they were proof that reviving the grove was not an impossible task. Eagerly, he began to examine one of the budding trees.

“Good morning,” he murmured. Gently, he placed a hand on one of the branches and concentrated. Slowly, a pale-pink flower appeared, followed by another, then another. Luhan grinned. “Take your time,” he said softly. “There is no need to rush.”

Baekhyun sat down on a rock. He never tired of watching the queen work. It was like witnessing a miracle. What Queen Persephone was unable to accomplish during her time in the Underworld, this man had made it happen.

“How do you do it?” he asked out of curiosity.

Luhan looked up in surprise. “Do what?”

“Make them grow,” said Baekhyun.

Luhan stared at him, puzzled.

Baekhyun rubbed his head. “I’ve never seen trees and flowers grow like that before,” he admitted. He gestured around them. “As you can see, plants do not really stand much of a chance around here, until you came along.”

Luhan gave him a sheepish smile. “Actually, I do not know,” he said. “My mother and sister can grow a garden with a snap of their finger, but I could not do what they do.” He ran a hand along the tree branch. “Usually, they only grow if I ask them to.”

Baekhyun frowned in confusion. “Ask them to?”

Luhan thought hard about an explanation. “When I was young, my sister and I would stay in the palace while our mother went out,” he began. “We had the whole place all to ourselves, and we loved to run and play together.” His eyes sparkled at the memory. “As we get older, though, mother began to take Persephone with her when she went out. My sister is, after all, the Spring Goddess, so naturally, our mother would want her to learn about her responsibilities as soon as possible.

“So I was left alone. I did not resent my mother for leaving me behind. It was for my own protection. Trouble is, without my sister, there was no one to talk to or play with.” Luhan gave Baekhyun a sad smile. “Living in a universe that doesn’t know you exist can be… painful sometimes,” he said.

Luhan shook his head and turned his attention back to the tree. “I guess the loneliness got so intense that I started talking to myself,” he said with a chuckle. “I would sit by myself in the fields, pretending Perse is still with me, and just… talk.” He gave Baekhyun a soft smile. “Sounds crazy, huh?”

Baekhyun shook his head. He could relate.

“It started with the grass swaying,” Luhan continued. “I didn’t notice it at first. Most of the palace is in open air, so I always assumed it was the wind. Then, I started to see flowers blossoming in random places because I once said it’d be nice to have more colors in the palace. Once, I woke up to a canopy of vines above me when I accidentally fell asleep in the wheat fields on a hot sunny day.

“But the biggest shocker came one day when my mother and sister were preparing to leave the palace, but a wall of vines blocked the entrance,” Luhan recalled. “No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t get rid of the vines.” He wandered over to another tree to examine it. “I went over, and immediately they parted for me.” Luhan could still remember the stunned looks on his mother and sister’s faces that morning, after casting countless spells and panicking about the immortals becoming suspicious over their absence.

“Why did they block the entrance?” Baekhyun asked.

“Because the day before, I was sitting in the garden, complaining about being all alone, and how I wish my mother and sister could spend more time with me,” Luhan replied. “I was a child then. I needed attention,” he added with a shrug.

Baekhyun couldn’t help but laugh. Luhan smiled. “It was kind of funny,” he admitted. “Persephone was so jealous. She told me nature has never responded to her and mother the way they respond to me. My mother told me it was a gift from the goddess Gaea.”

Baekhyun’s eyes went wide. “Really?”

Luhan shrugged. “It is what my mother said,” he answered. “My mother and sister can use their powers to grow things and balance nature, but I can never do what they do, no matter how hard I try.” He gestured to the trees and flowers. “They only grow because I asked them to, and if they wish. I guess this is my power.”

“Well, whatever it is, it’s very effective here,” said Baekhyun. “I mean, not even Queen Persephone could –” he broke off immediately. He looked at Luhan with panicked eyes. “Uh, I meant to say…”

All of a sudden, the light-hearted atmosphere that once existed was gone, replaced with an awkward silence. It was an unspoken agreement between Luhan and Baekhyun to never bring up Persephone.  Luhan smiled. “It’s all right,” he said.

Baekhyun looked away guiltily. He hadn’t meant to bring up Queen Persephone, knowing how painful the subject was to Luhan. Yet, this new queen seemed unfazed by his slip of the tongue. Instead, he turned his attention to the flowers, gently coaxing them to grow.

“Have you spoken to the king lately?” Baekhyun’s question broke the silence.

Luhan paused in his work. After that night, he and Hades rarely saw each other, much less spoke to each other.

Baekhyun hesitated on what he was about to say next. “Perhaps you would consider spending more time with him?”

Luhan turned around and looked at the demigod, but didn’t say anything.

You two have more in common than you think,” Baekhyun continued.

That caught Luhan off guard. What could he possibly have in common with the King of the Underworld?

Baekhyun took a deep breath. “There is no greater pain than to live in a world where your existence isn’t acknowledged,” he said. “I just thought you of all people would understand how that feels.” He gave Luhan a bow. “I will wait for you at he entrance.” With that, he walked away.

* * *

Kyungsoo yawned as he walked down the sandy path. He rubbed his shoulders in fatigue. Oh, how he missed the days when all he had to do was manage the library. Now, he had to be almost everywhere. Added with the fact that Baekhyun had been tasked to take care of the queen, Kyungsoo was now in charge with doing two people’s work. _Curse Sehun for making me take over his responsibilities,_ he mentally fumed.

Up ahead, a lone hooded figure stood waiting for him. Kyungsoo started in surprise. “Jongin?”

The figured pulled him into a hug. Kyungsoo hugged him back eagerly. “You didn’t have to wait for me,” he said.

Jongin shrugged. “I want to,” he said simply. His silvery-blue eyes glowed in the dim light as they stared lovingly at Kyungsoo. “Busy day?” he asked.

Kyungsoo gave a dry laugh. “Busy would be an understatement,” he answered. He yawned. “I don’t know how Baekhyun does it.”

Jongin shook his head and steered him down the road. “You could have asked the others for help.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “We’re pretty short-handed as it is,” he said. “Besides, it’s only temporary. Things will be easier once Yifan and Tao return.”

“ _If_ they return,” Jongin corrected him. “From Yifan’s last report, it looks as if Tao doesn’t want to leave.”

Kyungsoo scoffed. “I don’t care what Yifan says, we are NOT getting another monster. The Underworld is full of them as it is.”

“Maybe it’s not a monster,” Jongin remarked. “Maybe it’s really a puppy like Tao claimed.”

“That will be food for the Underworld, not another pet,” Kyungsoo countered. “Tao is not heartless.”

Jongin opened his mouth to argue but stopped short. “Did you hear that?” he asked.

Kyungsoo, initially tired, became alert. “Is that… crying?”

Without another word, the two went down another road. Following the sound, they came upon the Cocytus. Jongin stared in puzzlement. “What in the gods’ name…”

She knelt by the river, sobbing uncontrollably. Despite her plain clothing, her clean, smooth-looking hands and delicate features gave away her actual status. The problem, however, was not the way she was dressed.

“She is still alive.”


	11. Choices

“Out of my way!”

Ares shoved his way into the palace, ignoring the cries of protest around him.

“Please, Lord Ares,” one of the guards pleaded. “King Zeus is currently in a meeting right now, and…” He never finished his sentence, as a fiery blast reduced him into nothing but ashes. This action stunned everyone into silence. Servants trembled in fear, as more guards gathered, yet all were uncertain about what to do.

Ares’ rage was apparent on his face. He stared down at everyone, muscles tensed, as if ready to do battle. “Do not tell me what to do!” he roared at them.

Right then, the palace was bathed in a blinding light. “What is the meaning of this?!”

Immediately, everyone except Ares got down on their knees and bowed their heads. The throne room doors opened, and Zeus walked out.

Ares wasted no time and stepped towards him. “Father, why have you imprisoned Zenoch and Mikhailis?” he demanded.

Zeus didn’t answer but surveyed the hallway bowed heads with a critical look. “You may rise,” he said to them. “Return to your post.” Quickly, everyone rose to their feet and scurried away, leaving father and son alone.

“Father,” Ares began, but Zeus put up a hand to stop him.

“We shall discuss this inside,” he said and walked into the throne room. Impatient but eager for his father’s attention, Ares followed him.

He was no stranger to Zeus’ palace, having been there numerous times. A place like no other on Mount Olympus, the throne room was enveloped in a radiant light, adorned with ivory and gold that spread through the walls and ceiling. At the end of the room was a magnificent throne, the symbol of supremacy.

Unsurprisingly, he saw his mother, Hera, standing next to the throne. However, it was the other presence in the throne room that sent a wave of fury through him.

“You!” he hissed, pointing an accusatory finger at Demeter. “You have a lot of nerve to be here.”

Slap!

His head slammed to the side at the impact. A stinging pain stabbed through his cheek as he struggled to process what had just occurred. Only a handful of immortals would be capable of inflicting such pain.

“Father, I…”

Zeus stared down at him from his throne. “I get to decide who is allowed to be here, Ares, not you,” he said sharply.

Ares opened his mouth to argue, but Zeus interrupted him. “I would like to think you have been well taught and trained enough to behave yourself in this realm,” he told him sternly. “You are an Olympian. You need to act like one, for once.” That effectively shut him up.

The God of War forced himself to calm down. With the pain on his cheek subsiding, he could finally think more coherently. “Father,” he addressed once again, this time with forced humility in his voice. “I have just received word that two of my sons, Zenoch and Mikhailis, have been imprisoned by you. I would like to know what crimes they have committed to deserve such treatment.”

Zeus studied him critically for a moment. “Do you know what today is?” he asked casually as if inquiring about the weather.

Ares was caught off guard by the simple question. He thought hard about it, running his mind through an event that was of significance to this day but couldn’t find an answer.

“No?” His father stared at him in amusement. “I cannot say I blame you, given not many people care about it. Such a trivial thing in our realm, not even attention-worthy,” he said.

Ares felt Demeter tense next to him. Whatever Zeus said had more effect on the goddess than him.

_And there is only one thing that Demeter cares about more than anything in the universe…_

His eyes went wide with realization. “Persephone,” he whispered.

Zeus nodded. “Bravo,” he complimented his son. “Your intellect is almost on par with Athena’s.” He ignored the outraged look on Ares’ face and continued. “Today is the day Persephone returns to the Underworld,” he said. “By now, you should already be familiar with my daughter’s… unusual living arrangements.” He paused for a while. “She arrives on the first day of spring and leaves on the last day of summer. We’ve never had any trouble before,” said Zeus. Then, his eyes hardened. “Until now.”

Throughout this time, Demeter had stayed silent. She now looked at Ares with accusing eyes. “Would you care to explain to me why your sons would find it appropriate for my daughter to walk back to the Underworld?” she demanded. Her tone was soft, but Ares could feel the rage seeping from the goddess.

“Which is why she is here, my son,” Zeus spoke up. “I was informed that Persephone almost did not make it back to the Underworld on time because your sons tried to send Hades’ carriage away.” He regarded Ares’ pale face with a stoic expression. “Each year, my brother would send a carriage to bring his queen back to the Underworld. This cycle has never been broken, until today, by your sons.”

“I… I didn’t…” Ares stammered. Inside, the God of War was panicking. This was more serious than he thought. “Surely, there must be some misunderstanding,” he tried to reason.

“Oh?” Zeus raised an eyebrow. “So you are saying I am wrong, then?” he asked.

“Of course not, father,” Ares said quickly. “I would never doubt your judgment. I am merely pointing out that perhaps there was a misunderstanding between my sons and the… _servant_ from the Underworld.”

“Who is also your son,” Zeus pointed out. “I believe his name is Chanyeol.”

Ares' fists clenched at the mention of the name. That name had brought him nothing but shame and disgrace on Mount Olympus. The son whose abilities surpassed many of his offspring, Chanyeol had made a mockery out of him when he rejected his offer to serve by his side.

“He was sent by Hades to escort Persephone back to the Underworld,” Zeus continued. “According to the tree nymphs, they saw Zenoch and Mikhailis instigate a fight by insulting him and forcing him to leave. He almost did, until my sister intervened,” he said, gesturing to Demeter.

Ares felt his heart drop. This was more serious than he thought. He now remembered why this day was so important. This particular arrangement with Persephone might seem unimportant, but there was an underlying more in-depth meaning to it all. It was Rhea who came up with this idea of allowing Persephone to divide her time between Mount Olympus and the Underworld. Being the Mother of Gods, her decrees were the ultimate authority. The disruption caused by his sons would be viewed as a sign of disrespect towards Rhea. Staring at Zeus’ and Hera’s cold faces, Ares knew that this would not rest until they obtained a satisfactory outcome to qualm Rhea’s anger.

He may be proud and quick-tempered, but for now, those would have to be set aside if he wanted any chance of saving his sons. He refused to a laughingstock once again because of his children.

“Please, father,” he begged. “Zenoch and Mikhailis are still young. I’d only brought them to this realm recently, and they have yet to learn their place in on Mount Olympus.” He bowed his head. “It is my responsibility to teach and train them, and I have failed,” he admitted. “I will take full responsibility for what had transpired today. All I ask is that you show mercy, and give my sons a second chance.”

The throne room became silent. For a long time, no one spoke a word.

“Very well,” Zeus finally said. “I promised my mother that she’d have justice, but I supposed I could allow some leniency for you, my son.” Ares’ heart leaped. There was hope after all.

However, not everyone was happy with Zeus’ decision. “Brother,” Demeter protested.

“You heard him, sister,” Hera interrupted her. “Zenoch and Mikhailis are still children, and there is still much for them to learn.” She gave Demeter a sweet smile. “As a mother yourself, I am sure you can relate,” she added.

Demeter’s eyes turned steely, but before she could say anything, the doors opened, and in walked the guards, bringing Zenoch and Mikhailis with them.

“Father!” Zenoch shouted as soon as he entered. Shackled in chains, both he and Mikhailis struggled to maintain an upright position.

Ares watched helplessly as his sons were half-pushed and dragged towards him. He turned back to Zeus and gave his father a questioning look.

Zeus’ stony face sent a chill up his spine. “According to the goddess Rhea, the life of your one of your sons must be sacrificed to set an example for the whole of the universe. Anyone who dares to defy her shall share his fate. As you know, discipline and obedience are essential in maintaining the balance of the universe." He leaned back in his throne. "Normally, I would do it myself, but since you said you’d take responsibility for their actions, I’ll leave that decision to you.”

“Which son would you save?”

* * *

  
Sehun studied the two demi-gods before him with a frown on his face. “She is not dead?” he asked, wanting to make sure he heard it clearly.

Kyungsoo nodded gravely. “Her heart still beats, and her body is flushed and warm like a living mortal,” he answered.

“And she wished to see the queen?”

“We’d tried to take her back to the mortal world, but she refused to budge,” said Jongin. “She just kept crying and begging, saying something about her children’s lives depends on it.”

Kyungsoo hesitated on what he was about to say. “Normally, we’d just send her away whether or not she wants it. This place, as you know, is not a place for living mortals.”

Sehun’s eyes narrowed. “But?”

“There is something off about her,” said Kyungsoo. “She didn’t stumble into the Underworld by accident, nor was she lost. She knew exactly where to go, and where she’d be easily heard.” His large eyes flashed. “She could not have made it this far without help.”

Immediately, Sehun tensed. “You think someone in the Underworld showed her a way into our realm?” he asked.

“It’s a possibility, but with all the sobbing and pleading, we couldn’t get anything out of her,” said Kyungsoo.

That got Sehun worried. The underworld was no place for any living being. The complicated layout of the realm made it difficult for the spirits to try and escape, and even harder for any mortal or immortal to navigate. From what Kyungsoo and Jongin had told him, this woman not only knew the entrance to the Underworld, she also knew exactly where the palace was located. The only way she could’ve found out was if someone told her, which could spell trouble for the Underworld.

_So much for keeping his existence a secret._

“Find Baekhyun,” he instructed. “Tell him what happened, and tell him to escort the queen to the throne room.”

Now it was Jongin’s turn to frown. “Are you sure that is wise, your majesty?”

Sehun stood up. “She wants to see the queen,” he said. “Let her see the queen.”

 


	12. Being queen

Baekhyun watched from afar. As always, Luhan was in his own element. His head bent low to a blue flower as he whispered to it. His lips curled into a small smile as the flower slowly began to blossom. He flitted from one tree to the next like a nymph, eyes sparkling with delight. His entire body radiated with happiness. Baekhyun almost didn’t want to walk in and interrupt him.

“Your majesty,” he addressed with a bow.

Luhan turned in surprise. “Baekhyun?”

The demigod wasted no time. “Something has come up, and we need you to come to the throne room immediately.”

He watched as Luhan’s face began to pale. “Me?” he asked. “Why me?”

“This matter requires your attention,” Baekhyun answered simply.

“But what about the king?” Luhan pressed on.

“This matter requires your attention,” Baekhyun repeated. “Yours, specifically,” he added.

“Why?”

“Because she asked for you.”

If Luhan was confused by this sudden request, he was even more baffled now. “Who is ‘she’?”

Baekhyun stared at him with a grim look. “That I do not know,” he replied. He told him about the weeping woman by the river who repeatedly asked for an audience with the queen. “There are a lot of things at stake here,” he told Luhan. “If a mortal is able to find her way into the Underworld, there’s no telling how many more out there has this knowledge. Plus, the longer she stays here, the quicker her mortality fades,” he said in a serious tone.

Luhan hesitated. He hadn’t been in the Underworld for long. The only interaction he’d had here was with Baekhyun and Hades. So far, the only thing he’d been doing here was to revive the grove. He was completely oblivious to the affairs of the Underworld. How could he take charge in anything?

“I…”

Baekhyun hardened. “Your majesty,” he said in a stern voice. “You are the queen of the Underworld. You need to do your duty.”

“You and I both know that I am not the queen,” Luhan said desperately.

“But nobody knows that,” Baekhyun countered. “Right now, everybody believes that Queen Persephone is back in the Underworld. Whether you’re here to hide or to save your sister, it is your job to keep up the pretenses and keep Mount Olympus from becoming suspicious.”

Luhan didn’t want to admit it, but he knew Baekhyun was right. It was his decision to take his sister’s place. _Perhaps I didn’t think this through when I left Mount Olympus,_ he thought, _but it’s too late now._

He inhaled deeply. “I understand,” he finally said. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned the vines. They looped and wrapped around his body. Flowers bloomed all over his body, covering him from head to toe. Gradually, they fell away, revealing a sheer, white flowery gown.

“Black,” Baekhyun spoke up. “Queen Persephone tends to wear black when she needed to make an appearance.”

Luhan nodded and closed his eyes. Flowers and vines reappeared all over his body. Baekhyun watched in awe while a strange black liquid poured out of the plants and coated the dress. The transformation from white to black was almost surreal. A black veil appeared and covered Luhan’s face. Before long, a dark figure resembling the queen stood before Baekhyun.

“Let’s go.”

It was all Baekhyun could do not to flinch. Even the voice was like Queen Persephone.

Baekhyun nodded. “This way,” he said and proceeded to guide Luhan to the throne room.

* * *

Contrary to the extravagance at Zeus’ palace, Hades’ palace seemed plain, with an aura of gloom hanging in the air. It was well-maintained, yet there was little to reflect the king’s status as God of the Underworld. After all, the Underworld rarely received visitors. No one wanted to come to a place that housed the dead.

There were already two people waiting when Luhan and Baekhyun arrived. One was a woman kneeling and sobbing on the ground. The other was a man, dressed in a similar manner as Baekhyun, who stood behind the woman.

“That’s Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun whispered behind him. “One of the generals.”

Luhan became anxious about this. It’d never occur to him that he would meet someone outside of the two he already knew.

A few candles lit up the dark and eerie-looking room. The two thrones in the room were reserved for the king and queen of the Underworld, the two powers of authority. “Your throne is the one on the right,” said Baekhyun. “It will be all right, your majesty. I will be standing right next to you.”

Luhan nodded subtly. Quietly, he made his way to the throne and sat down. He glanced over at the empty throne next to him. It made sense. Compared to the one he now sat on, Hades’ throne was higher, the details more elaborate.

He forced himself to stay calm. He sat erect, head held high. _You are the queen._ “What is going on?” he asked quietly, looking at Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo, however, stood frozen. His eyes were wide as he stared unbelievingly at the queen. He could sense something was off, but couldn’t quite put a finger on it.

“Well?” The jarring demand snapped him out of his thoughts. Kyungsoo shook his head. Whatever questions he had could wait. He gave a bow. “Your majesty,” he began. “We found this woman weeping by the Cocytus. She refused to leave our realm until she has an audience with you.”

At that, the queen shifted focus to the woman on the ground. “You had a lot of nerve,” she said accusingly.

The woman flinched but stood her ground. “Oh, might Queen Persephone," said the woman. “I realize that actions have displeased you, but please, I beg of you, spare a few of your precious moments, for the sake of a woman who has lost everything,” she begged.

_What would Perse do?_ Luhan wondered. He had no idea how his sister dealt with these affairs. Would she be compassionate and grant the woman what she desired? Or be cold and unrelenting, like those stories he’d heard about the King of the Underworld?

_Just go with the flow,_ a little voice inside of him said. _There is no harm in listening._

“Tell me why you are crying,” Luhan finally said.

The woman got up and began to tell her story. “My name is Niobe,” she said. "My husband, Amphion, son of Zeus, and I had fourteen children, seven sons, and seven daughters. We were very happy, but I could not help my proud hubris and went around boasting about my fertility.

“One day, during a festival honoring the Goddess Leto and her children,

I insulted the goddess' honor by bragging I have more children than her. In a fit of rage, Leto killed all of my children." Niobe wept in despair. “They are all dead, and it's all because of me!”

Sitting on his throne, Luhan was rendered speechless. _Of all the people you insulted, you had to pick a Goddess,_ he thought. Leto was not a major goddess, but still a goddess, nonetheless. No God would allow anyone to challenge their honor and dignity.

“Your pride has incurred the wrath of the goddess Leto. Her punishment was justifiable,” he said coolly. Try as he might, he couldn’t feel any sympathy for this woman. Giving birth to fourteen children was no easy feat, which obviously boosted Niobe's ego, to the point where she shamelessly insulted a goddess. She had no one to blame but herself.

Niobe sank to the ground. “Your Majesty,” she said. “I will do anything. I will become your slave and stay in the Underworld for eternity if I have to. Just please,” she said pleadingly. “Give me back my children. They are innocent.”

“I do not think you understand the situation here,” said Luhan. “Your children have already crossed the Styx and have passed through judgment. Their souls now belong to the Underworld.”

“Then I shall trade my own life in exchange for their souls,” Niobe shouted.

Luhan raised an eyebrow at this. “One life for fourteen souls. That is hardly a fair trade,” he told Niobe. He heard Baekhyun scoff behind him, an indication that he was not the only one who had this thought.

“Please,” Niobe cried desperately. “I will do anything. I –“

Luhan held up his hand. This had gone on for long enough. “I am afraid I cannot help you,” he said with finality. “You have already committed a great sin by coming here.” He stood up. “My general will escort you to the entrance.”

Niobe, now sobbing, bowed low to the ground. “Your Majesty, I beg of you,” she pleaded. “You are the only one who can help me. She said you can help me. Please –”

That caught Luhan’s attention. “’She?’”

Niobe’s face went pale. “I… ”

Luhan’s eyes narrowed. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. “How did you get into our realm?” he demanded.

Scared, Niobe began to stand up, but one glance at Kyungsoo’s menacing eyes and she knelt back down. “I do not know what you are talking about, Your Majesty,” she answered.

Luhan shared a look with Baekhyun, who also looked equally alarmed by this sudden revelation. They were not wrong. Someone did tell Niobe the way into the Underworld. Luhan was stumped by this dilemma. If he pressed too much on the matter, it might give Niobe the leverage needed to get her children back. On the other hand, if there was someone going about revealing the Underworld’s location it could be troublesome for them.

Just then, the doors opened, and a woman marched into the throne room. Her long black hair flowed loosely around her angelic face, which belied her toughness found in her sharp eyes. She wore a black robe that barely concealed the sword fastened at her hip. Luhan had never seen anyone like her.

“General Victoria,” Baekhyun called out sharply. “We are in the middle of a meeting.”

Luhan blinked in surprise. Other than the goddess Athena, he’d never met a high-ranking female official before.

Victoria, however, seemed unfazed. “Your Majesty,” she said as she gave a bow. “I have a message from Mount Olympus.”

Baekhyun opened his mouth to respond, but Luhan held out his hand. “Bring it to me,” he instructed. He could use a distraction while he figured out how to resolve the matter with Niobe.

Victoria’s face remained stoic, yet the curiosity in her eyes betrayed her true feelings. She gave no indication though and handed the scroll to Luhan.

The throne room was silent as Luhan unrolled the scroll. Words began to appear before him.

It was a message from the goddess Artemis. Somehow Leto had discovered Niobe’s plans to see Queen Persephone. She was well-aware of Niobe’s desire to get her children back, but Leto had no intentions of forgiving Niobe for her lack of respect. Artemis’ message was simple: Queen Persephone was not to give Niobe what she wanted, and she was to keep Niobe imprisoned in the Underworld for all eternity.

Luhan frowned. Who was Artemis to tell his sister what to do? His hands gripped the scroll tightly. How long had this been going on? Did the mistreatment not stop when Persephone was taken to the Underworld? Had they been making demands like this all this time?

_Too bad for you_ , he thought angrily. _I am not my sister_.

He stared at Niobe with a stony face. “I cannot give you back your children,” he said. He watched as Niobe once again crumbled into tears. “However,” he continued. “I can allow them to be reincarnated. They will not all be your children, though. Some of them will be bored by other women. As punishment for breaking into the Underworld, I shall take away ten years from your mortal life. Furthermore, if I ever hear you committing a sin as grave as this, I will personally take away your children's lives, and throw you into the river Styx."

Niobe was stunned by this sudden turn of events. It was not the outcome she’d wished for, but at the thought of getting even one of her children back was enough to make her smile once again. “Oh, thank you! I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Your Majesty,” she exclaimed, bowing again and again in gratitude. “I will work hard to be a better person. I will do my best to meet your conditions.”

Kyungsoo and Victoria seemed indifferent to her sudden shift in attitude, but Luhan had other things in mind. “Before you leave,” he said. “There is something I need to ask you.” He stood tall at the throne, commanding attention. “Who told you how to get into our realm?”

This time, Niobe was more forthcoming with the information. “It was a woman dressed as a maid,” she replied honestly. “She drew me a map and told me that, if I come at a time when the god Hades isn't here, the queen might grant my request out of kindness. If I am sincere enough, I might get my children back.”

Puzzled, Luhan looked at Baekhyun, who leaned forward. “The king is supposed to leave today for the sea realm to attend a gathering with King Poseidon and Queen Amphitrite,” he said softly.

_So whoever this is, she knows the Underworld quite well,_ Luhan thought. “Can you describe her?” Not only did this person know about the Underworld, but she also knew when the king would be away, and she knew about Persephone, which meant she may or may not know about Luhan.

Everyone was tense as they listened to Niobe give a description. Luhan turned to Baekhyun. “I need you to go find out who this person is and bring her to me,” he instructed. Baekhyun nodded. Luhan turned to Niobe. “You will burn that map as soon as you return to the palace. You will never speak of what happened here today, or you, along with your country, shall be punished,” he said.

Niobe's eyes turned fearful. She nodded her head and gave a bow.

Satisfied, he turned to Kyungsoo. “Please escort Queen Niobe back to the mortal world, and make sure she burns that map to nothing but ashes before returning,” he said. With that, he turned and left the throne room.

* * *

After Niobe returned to the mortal world, she told her husband about Queen Persephone's terms. The king was elated. They were both grief-stricken from losing all of their children. Now, the prospect of getting their family back again had filled the royal couple with great joy.

As instructed, King Amphion and Queen Niobe burned the map and told no one about Niobe's visit to the Underworld. In addition, as gratitude to Queen Persephone, the king has ordered his builders to construct a temple dedicated to Persephone, with him personally supervising the construction.

Not long after, Queen Niobe became pregnant. Once again, the palace was filled with happiness. It was just as Queen Persephone had promised. The temple wasn't finished yet, but Niobe couldn't wait. She immediately went to the temple to pay her respects, offering her thanks and appreciation.

This was a lesson well learned. Her pride has cost her all of her children. Now, she had become more humble and modest. Her friends and acquaintances were shocked by this significant change, but no one suspected a thing. They all attributed it to the queen about to become a mother once again.

However, all was not well on Mount Olympus, especially Leto, who was beside herself with fury.


	13. Family

Zeus sat high on his throne with an indifferent expression on his face. Next to him sat Hera, looking bored. Neither of them seemed glad to receive the two unexpected guests who had stood adamantly outside of the palace and refused to budge until they were granted an audience with the king and queen of Mount Olympus.

After what felt like an eternity, Zeus finally broke the silence. “Well?”

Leto flinched at the bluntness but held her composure. “Great Zeus,” she began. “I have been greatly wronged in the worst way imaginable, and I beseech you to be the voice of reason and justice in my recent woe.”

Hera rolled her eyes. _Aren’t we melodramatic today,_ she thought. Although the goddess refused to buy into Leto’s over-the-top act for her husband’s attention, she chose to remain silent. She wanted to see Zeus’ response.

Sure enough, Zeus seemed unfazed by Leto’s appeal. “And what is this wrongful act you spoke of?” he asked.

Leto took a deep breath as if to prepare herself for a performance, and what a performance it turned out to be. Hera tried not to laugh as Leto went into elaborate details over how Niobe had insulted her at a festival, how she executed the queen’s children as her brand of punishment, and how her dignity was once again wounded because of Persephone.

“She was supposed to refuse Niobe’s request and keep her in the underworld,” Leto ranted. “Instead, she allowed that… that _mortal,_ to leave, with the promise that her children will be reincarnated.”

Leto was beside herself with fury. So what if she only had two children? That still did not give Niobe the right to insult her. Plus, both Apollo and Artemis were two of Zeus’ favorite children and were given a place on Mount Olympus. They were given more privileges than most of Zeus’ offspring, which in turn had elevated Leto’s status on Mount Olympus. As the mother of not one, but two Olympians, Leto was the envy of many immortals. What Persephone did was a slap to her authority.

“I have sent message after message to Persephone, telling her to change her decision,” Leto continued. “She wouldn’t listen to me, nor would she reply any of my requests. This is an act of disrespect not only to me but to you, King Zeus.”

“Oh?” Hera raised an eyebrow. “And how, dearest Leto, is this a disrespectful act to you?” she asked in a casual manner.

Leto started at this sudden interruption. “She’s supposed to listen and do as I ask,” she answered in an indignant tone. “She has never refused me or my daughter before. Why should this time be any different?”

Hera sat up straighter on her throne. This had just become much more interesting than she anticipated. “Do you mean to tell me you have been sending countless requests to Persephone in the Underworld and expecting her to comply with your demands?” she asked. She sounded bored, even uninterested, but Leto detected a slight twinge of displeasure in her tone.

Alarmed, Leto looked over to Zeus, only to discover that he too, had a look of disapproval on his face.

“I… I don’t…” she stammered, then quickly recovered. “Like I said, she has always complied with my requests,” she said, adamant that she’d done nothing wrong.

“That does not mean she is obligated to do your every bidding,” Zeus finally spoke up. He maintained a calm exterior, but Leto knew him well enough to understand that Zeus was displeased with her behavior. She clenched her fists, trying to ignore the feeling of inferiority that crept into her heart.

“She is but a mere spring goddess,” Leto said, as an attempt to justify her actions.

“ _Was a mere spring goddess,”_ Hera corrected her. “Have you forgotten who she is now?” She asked sternly. “As Queen of the Underworld, Persephone has every right to refuse your request.” She inclined her head as she stared down at Leto. “Even if she isn’t married to Hades, as the daughter of two Olympians _and_ my niece, how dare you belittle her by disrespecting her status. You should be ashamed of yourself, Leto.”

Leto gasped at the insult, but before she could defend herself, Zeus interrupted her. “It seems that I have spoilt you, Leto,” he said. “To the point where you have forgotten your place,” he added, shaking his head.

“That is not true, my lord,” Leto said quickly, hoping to appeal to Zeus’ good graces.

Hera, however, was not about to let go of such a good opportunity to knock Leto down. “My dear, poor niece,” she said with a sad sigh. “No wonder Demeter has been going around with such a forlorn look on her face.” She looked over at Zeus. “This must have caused a great deal of sadness to our dear sister,” she told him. “Knowing her own daughter is being bullied by the people she perceived to be her friends.” She gave Leto and Artemis a hard look.

Immediately, Leto sank down to her knees, and her daughter followed suit. “Father,” Artemis said. “Please, forgive us. The hurt my mother endured from Niobe’s insults may have blinded her, but she did it all for my brother and me.” She paused. “And for you,” she added.

Hera scoffed at this, but Zeus silenced her with a wave of his hand, allowing Artemis to continue. “While it is true that my mother may have crossed some lines with her requests, she did it to protect our dignity as Olympians, to remind the mortals who we are.” She looked up at Zeus. “If we allow Niobe to go unpunished, how would that make us look to the mortals? To the universe? That we are some mere beings that can be slighted and disrespected? What is to stop the mortals from thinking they are equal to us, or even more superior than us?”

Hera was seething. Artemis had struck a nerve by bringing up what Zeus feared the most. People questioning his authority, mortals believing he was not as powerful as they claimed. All his life, Zeus believed he was born to be a ruler. His mother Rhea had groomed him for the role, and his siblings had supported him in the war against the Titans. He’d believed he was the stronger, most powerful out of all the Olympians. Yet, no matter how many temples were built in his name, how many songs and poems were composed praising his almighty power, there’d always be that tiny bit of insecurity reminding him that he might not be the supreme god for all of eternity.

Sure enough, she watched as her husband’s face softened. “Rise, my child,” he said gently. “You too, Leto,” he added.

Leto rose to her feet and looked up. Gone was the over-confident goddess who’d strut around Mount Olympus looking like the next queen of the gods, replaced with a vulnerable-looking, teary-eyed woman who seemed ready to faint at any moment. Hera gritted her teeth and fought back the rage that threatened to spill out of her mouth. This would not be a good time to show her fury, not with Zeus looking at Leto like she was the only woman in the throne room, something he hadn’t done to her, his wife, in a long time.

“Your actions were rash, but I understand your intentions,” Zeus told Leto. “I will let it slide this time, but this ends now. Persephone has made her decision, and you must respect that," he told her patiently as if chiding a child.

Leto's face turned red. She tried to ignore Hera's smirking face and opened her mouth to argue, only to be stopped by her daughter. “Of course, father,” she said. “Thank you for showing us mercy.” She gave a bow, which seemed to please Zeus. He gave a wave, indicating their dismissal. Without another word, Artemis turned and walked away, tugging her mother with her.

“Why did you do that?” Leto demanded once they were outside of the palace. “I could have gotten Zeus to intervene.”

Artemis shook her head. “Not this time,” she said. “Father is right. As Queen of the Underworld, Persephone has every right to refuse our request.”

Leto scoffed at this. “Zeus has never cared about that girl before, and neither did Hera. She wanted Persephone gone.” _That lying hypocritical bitch!_

“Mother, please,” Artemis begged. “I will send one last message to Persephone. If she still refuses to answer, then we will think of another way to punish Niobe.” She took her mother’s hands and gave them a squeeze. “I assure you, her deeds will not go unpunished.”

* * *

“You seemed distracted.”

Sehun looked away from the aquatic view. “Forgive me,” he said. “I’m afraid my mind is preoccupied with some matters regarding the Underworld.”

Queen Amphitrite gave him a soft smile. “Whatever it is must be quite urgent,” she remarked. “I have never seen you like this.”

“Perhaps he’s missing his queen,” a booming voice interrupted them. They both looked up and watched as a tall man marched into the room. His blond hair and blue eyes bared an uncanny resemblance to Zeus, and despite his youthful appearance, the scars on his chest were a true reflection of the decades of wars and battles he’d endured to secure his title as Ruler of the Sea. A trident held firm in one of his hands, every step he took exuded an aura of supremacy.

_Just like Zeus._

Sehun stood up. “Brother,” he greeted and gave Poseidon a nod.

He was rewarded with a firm hug that almost knocked the wind out of him. “So formal,” Poseidon said in a teasing voice. “You are my brother, act like one,” he said.

Sehun arched an eyebrow. “I’m surprised anybody still considers me as family,” he said pointedly and sat down.

“Well, I’m not just anybody,” Poseidon countered. “We share the same parents, and we grew up together. Even though most of our time was spent in sheer darkness, it was you who kept us safe and guided us in our most despairing times. Zeus didn’t do any of that. You did.”

Sehun sighed. They’d had this discussion before. While most of Mount Olympus simply didn’t wish to acknowledge that Hades had any relations with the Olympians, Poseidon seemed determined to remind everyone that deep in the Underground was a ruler with familial ties to the Olympians.

“As the eldest of our family, it should be you on that throne,” Poseidon grumbled as he sat down next to his queen.

Sehun caught a glimpse of Amphitrite’s pale face. He turned his attention back to his brother. “You know this isn’t going to get you anywhere, right?” Sehun asked. “This kind of talk will get you in trouble one day.”

Poseidon laughed. “Like I care,” he said. “You spend so much of your time away from Mount Olympus that you don’t see how the place is now rotten to the core.” In a fit of anger, he slammed his trident down onto the pristine glass floor, causing Amphitrite to flinch. “No democracy, no vote, on Mount Olympus, it’s all about what Zeus wants, and there is nothing anyone can do about it,” he said.

“My love, please,” Amphitrite begged. She placed a delicate hand on his arm. It took a while, but finally, Poseidon began to soften. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze, followed by a reassuring smile.

“Do not worry, my dear,” he said to his queen. “No matter what happens, I will make sure that no harm shall come to you.”

While that earned him a smile from his wife, Sehun frowned at the implication of that statement. He finished his tea and stood up. “I must head back,” he announced. He waved off any protests coming from Poseidon and Amphitrite. “There are matters in the Underworld that I must attend to,” he said in a clipped tone, leaving no room for argument.

Poseidon grimaced but nodded. He gave Amphitrite’s hand a kiss and told her to remain at the table. The two brothers made their way towards the portal. Along the way, there were passerby’s who paused to greet Poseidon, though some simply gawked at Sehun, as if shocked to find the King of the Underworld in their realm.

It wasn’t long before they reached the palace entrance. Poseidon pointed his trident, and a portal appeared. Sehun looked ready to enter but paused. “Whatever that happened between you and Zeus is between you two,” he told Poseidon. “But know that the decisions you make not only affect you but also the people around you.” He pondered about saying more but decided against it. His brother would need to figure that out by himself.

Poseidon seemed taken aback, but nodded. “Until next time, brother."

* * *

He walked into the darkness and finally felt a sense of normalcy. _It is good to be home_ , he thought with relief. He looked around. The realm still looked pretty much the same. The dim lighting gave him a comforting and protective feeling as if to shield him from all harm.

Sehun hurried up the palace steps. He was certain Kyungsoo would have a mountain’s worth of news for him. So preoccupied with his thoughts, he did not notice the two dark figures standing outside of his study until the last moment.

He stopped short at the sight of an angry Victoria and a scowling Kyungsoo.

Victoria glared at him with blazing sharp eyes. “When were you planning to tell us about Luhan?”

 


	14. Discoveries and Adjustments

_“What were you thinking?!?”_

Amber winced at the sudden outburst that boomed right out of Sehun’s study and straight into her ears. _Kyungsoo really doesn’t know how loud he can be,_ she thought with a grimace.

Sehun, Victoria, and Kyungsoo had all been inside for hours now, but other than a few outbursts here and there, their conversation was all but inaudible. _What is the point of being a demi-god if we are not blessed with an extraordinary hearing ability?_ she grumbled.

She gripped her black robe around her and once again pressed her ear closer to the door. Whatever they were discussing inside, it was huge. Words like “Mount Olympus” and “Zeus” rang out a few times, and to Amber that meant trouble. She didn’t know how bad it was, but anything associated with Mount Olympus was never a good thing.

“What are you doing?”

Amber nearly jumped out of her skin. She quickly straightened up and turned to the newcomer. “Damn it, Henry, don’t scare me like that.”

His pale complexion stood out in the dark hallways. Like Amber, he too was dressed in a black robe; only with his hood pulled back. A thick mop of dark-brown hair on top of a roundish face, his blue eyes widened in surprise as he held his hands up in defense. “Hey, I was just passing by,” he said. “On a more serious note, what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Amber replied casually. “Just… passing by.”

Henry folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. “And why does that involve you pressing your ear against the doors of Sehun’s study?” he asked pointedly.

Amber thought hard for an explanation, but she could never fool Henry. The male demi-god sighed. “Have you been eavesdropping on his meetings again?” 

Truth be told, it wasn’t entirely Amber’s fault. She couldn’t help who she was, or, to be more accurate, who her immortal parent was. Like most demigods, she too had inherited some godly traits, one that worked as a double-edged sword.

Caught red-handed, Amber could only shrug. “There’s nothing to do around here,” she said.

“They are always short-handed at Tartarus, Kyungsoo has been complaining about needing help in the library, Yixing needs help to pick herbs…” Henry began to list.

“All right!” Amber cut him off. She gestured to the study. “They have been inside for almost half a day.”

Henry frowned. “So?”

“Think about it,” Amber insisted. “When was the last time we had a meeting like this?”

Henry’s mind went blank. “Uh….” 

“When Jongin came to the Underworld,” Amber answered for him.

Henry looked puzzled. “I still do not unders—”

_“This could affect all of us! What you’re doing is basically a declaration of war against Mount Olympus!”_

Instantly, Amber was back at the door, this time, with Henry following close behind.

“I don’t get it. What does all this have to do with Jongin?” Henry whispered.

Amber gave him an exasperated look. “Who came with Jongin when he entered the Underworld?” she asked him. Meanwhile, she pressed her ear against the door, straining to hear whatever that was happening inside.

One look at Henry’s lost expression had Amber wondering if Henry was born forgetful. “You must be joking,” she hissed. “You were there when they came in!”

“Well, back then we had demigods being brought in all the time, so I didn’t overthink of it,” Henry argued in a hushed tone, trying not to make their presence known for those inside the study. “How was I supposed to know you would question me about it decades later?”

“He was brought in by the Great Goddess Gaea,” a voice answered behind them.

“See? Even Chanye – aaaaaarrrrggghhh!” Both demigods jumped away from the doors. Henry struggled to catch his breath. “What are you doing here?”

The tall demigod looked at them of amusement. “The king summoned me,” he replied. He pointed a finger at Amber. “I hope you are not doing what I think you are doing,” he said.

Amber feigned innocence. “What am I doing?” she asked with a blank face.

Before Chanyeol could answer, the study doors opened, revealing Victoria with an irritated expression. She took one look at Amber and raised an eyebrow. “Why am I not surprised?”

Amber gave a nervous laugh. “Hello, sister,” she said with a wave. “I have returned.”

Victoria was unimpressed. “How much did you hear?” she demanded.

“Uh…” For a moment, Amber was at a loss. What should she say? That she heard some things that should have remained in the study? On the other hand, she was itching to ask just what was so important that could affect them all on such a level.

“Are we really going to declare war on Mount Olympus?” The question was out, but it did not come from Amber. At that, all heads turned to Henry, who stood with an anxious expression. Victoria’s previous outburst from the study had shaken him to the core. 

Silence rang through the hallway, one that broken by a deep voice inside the study. “Why is everybody still standing outside? Victoria, did I not ask you to bring them in?”  
Immediately, Victoria sprang into action. She took a step back and gestured for everyone to come in. “You too, Chanyeol,” she said. There was no point in keeping Chanyeol in the dark after what Henry just said.

The demigods filed into the study. They had all been in here at one point or another, so most were indifferent towards the sparsely decorated room. All except Henry, who looked as if he was entering for the very first time.

Behind the large wooden desk sat Sehun, with Kyungsoo standing next to him. He got right to the point. “How much did you hear?” he asked Amber.

Amber opened her mouth to argue, but Sehun held up a hand to stop her. “I could hear you breathing outside,” he said.

Amber blinked in surprise. “Really?” 

Sehun said nothing except to stare at her with a dead expression. Amber coughed. “Not much,” she admitted. She looked over to Victoria. “I heard you said something about declaring war on Mount Olympus,” she added.

Kyungsoo threw Victoria an irritated look. “I told you not to be so loud,” he said.

“You were quite loud, as well,” Amber countered, defending her sister.

“All right,” Sehun interrupted them. “I did not ask you all to come in to argue. I was not going to tell any of you, but since Kyungsoo and Victoria, I imagine it will not be long before everybody knows.” He addressed the group. “There is something you all need to know about the queen.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Luhan was oblivious to the commotion inside the palace. He was back in his grove, preoccupied with his plants. Today, however, his mind was elsewhere. “Would I have to make an appearance like that again?” he asked aloud.

Nearby, Baekhyun looked up from a scroll he was reading. “Possibly,” he replied. “But we rarely get any visitors here, so I do not think it will happen any time again soon.”

Luhan ran his hand over a pine tree. “What kind of visitors?” he asked distractedly.

Baekhyun shrugged. “A couple of nymphs would sneak in every now and then just to get a glimpse of the king,” he said.

At this, Luhan stiffened. Baekhyun stifled a laugh upon seeing his reaction. “It isn’t because they are infatuated with him,” he explained. “More like they wanted to see if he is as bad as the rumors say.”

“Rumors?” Luhan couldn’t help but ask.

Baekhyun folded his arms. “What did you hear about our king before you came to the Underworld?

Luhan thought about it for a moment. “He is evil, ambitious, ill-tempered, extremely powerful yet still crave for more.” He paused. “Truth be told, I only take them at face value. After all, I have never seen him before, and what I know I learn from my mother and sister.” He touched a leaf. “It is only when Persephone was taken from us that I wondered if there were truths to those rumors.”

Baekhyun sighed. “It is not as simple as it seems,” he tried to explain. “What happened to Queen Persephone—“He struggled to find the words. “It is more complicated than you think,” he said.

Luhan shook his head. “I know that Hera wanted my sister gone, but my mother and I did not expect Artemis would join in on her plan to drive her out.” His eyes flashed angrily. “Nor did I expect your king to go along with it.”

“But it was not like that at all,” Baekhyun argued desperately. “He—” The demigod never finished his sentence, as a rustle of movement behind a bush caught his attention. He sprang up and signaled Luhan to get behind him. He held out his hand. It began to glow, and a sword materialized.

“Put that thing away before you hurt yourself, Baekhyun,” a female voice commanded. 

Baekhyun started in surprise but relaxed his stance. A woman stepped out from the bushes. Luhan immediately recognized her as the general who delivered Artemis’ message. He took a step back, trying to hide behind Baekhyun.

“Do not bother,” said Victoria. “I already know.” She studied Luhan for a moment with a critical eye before finally turning to Baekhyun. “The king needs to see you,” she said.

Baekhyun reluctantly put away his sword. He gave Luhan a worried glance. “I will stay with him,” said Victoria. “You do not want to keep Sehun waiting.”

The male demigod looked unconvinced. “Oh, for the love of…” Victoria muttered. She straightened up. “If I wanted to harm him, I would have done so that day in the throne room,” she said. “Plus, if I want to do it here and now, do you honestly think you can stop me?”

Luhan gave him a small nudge. “Go,” he said. “I will be all right.” He gave him an encouraging smile.

Baekhyun was not pleased by this but nodded. He gave Luhan a bow. “I will return as soon as I can, Your Highness,” he said. He gave Victoria a hard look and walked towards the exit.

Victoria seemed undaunted. Instead, she stared at Luhan for a moment. “You look very much like her,” she finally said.

Luhan said nothing, waiting patiently for her to continue. Victoria looked around the now-revived grove. “Much more powerful, or perhaps you are just adaptable. I suppose time will tell,” she continued thoughtfully as if speaking to herself. “And after what I have seen in the throne room, much smarter than her.” She finally focused her gaze back to Luhan. “Though your decision to come here is anything but smart.” She narrowed her eyes. “The king has already given his side of the story, but I would much rather hear it from you.” Her expression became stern.

“What were you thinking?”

* * *

Chanyeol’s hand shook. He re-read the scroll, again and again, thinking perhaps he’d read wrong, but the words remain unchanged. “Both of them?” he whispered.

Sehun observed his general. “According to Zhoumi, your fath— Ares, was given the opportunity by Zeus to save one of them. He instead let Zeus choose which son to spare, and—“

“—and Zeus killed them both,” Chanyeol finished the sentence. He closed his eyes for a moment. It was precisely what Ares would do. He would never pass up a chance to gain favor from his father, especially one that could be done right in front of Demeter. Only this time, it had backfired on him, and he’d paid a great price for it. 

“I am sorry, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo said softly by the desk. 

Chanyeol gave his friend a sad smile. “It is funny,” he said. “We share the same father, but we never consider each other brothers.” He looked at the scroll in his hands, struggling to sort through the torrent of emotions that ripped through his body. “Still, I never thought…” he trailed off. He was no stranger to life and death, and while Zenoch and Mikhailis had mistreated him, a part of him grieved for their deaths.  

“Ares was furious, to say the least. Of course, he would never show it in the presence of Zeus and Hera, but once he was back in his palace…” Kyungsoo didn’t finish the sentence, but Chanyeol knew very well just what his immortal father would do. Like father, like son. Simply put, the bloodshed did not end at Zeus’ palace.

Chanyeol clenched his fists and took a deep breath. “This changes nothing,” he finally said. He looked up and met Sehun’s eyes. “You know where my loyalty lies. The moment he killed my family, he had lost the right to claim me as his son.” His eyes still swirled with emotions, but there was now a new one present: Determination. He handed the scroll back to Kyungsoo. “Zenoch and Mikhailis were his protégés. Without them, he would probably go on another search to see whether there are more of his children living in the mortal world.”

“That is rather… time-consuming,” Kyungsoo remarked.

Chanyeol shrugged. “It was how he found me,” he said.

“But that also means he will not be causing any trouble here or on Mount Olympus,” Sehun pointed out. “In a way, his departure might actually be a good thing.” 

“For him or for you?” Chanyeol couldn’t help but ask. The last time Ares came banging on the doors of the Underworld, demanding his son be returned to him, Sehun had graced him with a demonstration of what he, as the God of the Underworld, was truly capable of. Needless to say, Ares did not get what he came for.

The somber atmosphere in the study was slightly broken as the men chuckled over the memories of Ares’ last visit, before a knock on the door interrupted them.

“Come in,” Sehun called out.

The door opened, and Baekhyun walked in. His face lit up at the sight of Chanyeol but grew concerned when he really looked at him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Chanyeol shook his head. “I will tell you later,” he told him. He turned and gave Sehun a bow. “I should be heading to the Styx,” he said. Sehun gave him a nod. He paused to give Baekhyun a squeeze on the shoulder and left the study.

Baekhyun stared after him in puzzlement before turning his attention back to the remaining two people in the study. “You wanted to see me?” he asked, trying his best to ignore Kyungsoo’s scowling face.

Sehun nodded. “Did you find Minthe?” he asked quietly.

The demigod shook his head. “She has left the palace as you requested, but she did not return to the Cocytus, either,” he replied.

“Which means she is still somewhere in the Underworld.”

“Or it could mean she has left and gone back to Mount Olympus,” Baekhyun pointed out.

“Impossible,” said Kyungsoo. “Nothing is waiting for her there except death. There is no way the immortals there would welcome her back with open arms.”

“Either way, we need to find her before she tells anyone else the way to our realm,” said Sehun. He looked over at Baekhyun. “Have you searched anywhere else in the realm?”

Baekhyun shook his head. “I intended to, but I have been busy watching over the queen—“

“You no longer need to worry about that. From now on, Victoria will be in charge of that. This is more important.” He turned to Kyungsoo. “Whatever you are working on at the moment, give them to Amber and Henry. With Amber back, she needs something to occupy her time.”

Kyungsoo had never felt so relieved as he nodded. The rest of the meeting went smoothly with some additional instructions from the king, and then the two demigods set out on their new task.

* * *

Luhan stifled a yawn as he trudged down the hallway.

“Do you always overwork yourself like this?” Victoria asked behind him.

Luhan shook his head. “I tire easily,” he replied dismissively. After Baekhyun left, the rest of the day had been Luhan tending to his grove as Victoria bombard him with hundreds of questions. Every little, insignificant (in his opinion) detail about him and she’d probe it like crazy.

On the bright side, beneath that tough exterior, Victoria was surprisingly easy to get along with. Her loyalty to the Underworld was undeniable, just like her skills as a warrior.  It reminded Luhan of his mother, tough on the outside, yet compassionate on the inside.

Victoria tilted her head. ”That does not sound normal,” she said. “Perhaps I should ask Yixing if there is anything he can do to help.”

“And risk having more people find out about me?”

Victoria shook her head. _So stubborn._ “You need to accept the fact that your existence is no longer a secret, Your Highness,” said Victoria. “Like it or not, if Kyungsoo and I were able to figure it out that day, others would not be that far behind.”

“I will handle it when that comes,” was the reply. Luhan yawned. “Right now, I just want to sleep.”u

He came to a stop outside of his bedchamber, something that puzzled Victoria. “I thought you are staying at the king’s palace,” she said.

Luhan shook his head. “I think it is best that I rest here tonight,” he said. “It’s better to maintain that façade, right?” With everything happening, he needed some time to himself. He was not ready to face the king.

Victoria pondered about arguing but decided against it. The queen looked quite exhausted. She gave a bow. “If you need anything, just summon me like the way you normally summon Baekhyun.” She opened the door for Luhan. “I will be here tomorrow, and we will head to the grove together.”

Luhan nodded and bid Victoria goodnight. Closing the doors behind him, his mind whirled with everything that had happened today. Even though he didn’t want to admit it, Victoria was right. He could only stay anonymous for so long before people become aware of his existence. While Luhan felt glad that Victoria seemed to have accepted him, he couldn’t be sure that others would follow suit. Lying on his bed, he stared at the vine-covered ceiling and sighed. _What was I thinking?_ He wondered as his eyes fluttered closed.

* * *

The door opened quietly, and a dark figure walked in. As if alert, a row of roots and vines rose up and formed a protective barrier around the bed. The figure paused and then chuckled. Not at all intimidated by the plants, Sehun stepped further into the room and made his way towards the bed in the center. Smoothly, he stepped over the vines and roots and came to a stop before the sleeping figure in the bed.

Luhan was in a deep slumber, uncaring of his surroundings. Every once in a while, his forehead would wrinkle, or a twitch in the corner of his lips, or his hand would clench the bed sheets. Compared to before, he seemed to be sleeping better, but Sehun didn’t want to take any chances.

Gently, he wrapped him in the blanket and picked him up. More vines and roots gathered, some grabbing at his ankles. He ignored them as he carried the sleeping figure out of the queen’s bedchamber. The plants followed, but this time at a safe distance, as if understanding who he is.

The realm was silent at this time, but Sehun knew the amount of attention he’d attracted with his current actions. _It does not matter_ , he told himself. They needed to get used to their new queen, and his queen would need to get used to his place in his realm.


	15. Rightful place

He paced back and forth angrily. Around him, his once-glorious study was in shambles. The floor was littered with pieces of broken ceramics and torn-up scrolls. The rugs and paintings that adorned the walls were marred with burnt holes and tears. The scent of blood and charred flesh filled the air, striking fear in the servants that cowered outside the study.

_How could he_ , he seethed. In a fit of rage, he picked up a broken piece of marble and threw it at the wall. A servant screamed in fright, and with a wave of his hand, that was the last sound she ever made.

“Get out!” he roared. The rest of the servants didn’t need to be told twice. They scurried off as fast as their feet allowed them to move until all that remained was Ares’ heavy breathing.

The events back at his father’s palace were fresh in his mind. The sight of his sons dying before his eyes, the fear in their eyes, their struggle in taking a breath, while he, as their father, could only watch as the last bit of their lives were squeezed out of them. 

Zeus had shown no remorse. “ _I gave you a chance_ ,” he’d said. “ _It was you who choose to leave that decision to me_.”

Ares had left in a rage, not bothering to spare a glance at Demeter. By now, she’d probably told everyone what had transpired in his father’s palace. He clenched his fists. _I hope you are happy._ He stormed out of his study, grabbing a passing maid. “I want this place spotless when I return,” he snapped.

Once Mount Olympus had caught wind of the embarrassment he faced, they would seize on this opportunity to get Zeus’ attention. He could not let that happen. Despite his sons’ shortcomings, they had been useful to a certain degree. Through them, he was able to paint himself a good father who’d singlehandedly raised two sons. Had Demeter not meddle in this, he would’ve been able to rise above the other Olympians and become Zeus’ favorite son.

_Chanyeol_. The name made his lips curled in disgust. _This is all his fault!_ Had he not fought with Zenoch and Mikhailis none of this would have happened. His hands clenched into fists. _He will pay for this!_

* * *

Luhan sighed comfortably in his bed. Now that he’d adjusted to the cries from the Styx, it’d become much easier to fall asleep. Once again, sleep had become a pleasant activity for him. He smiled as his eyes fluttered open. Then he frowned.

This was not his bedchamber.

Sitting up, he looked around. As his eyes adjusted to his surroundings, he gradually recognized the sparse yet familiar bedchamber. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. _Why am I in Hades’ palace?_

As if on cue, the doors opened, and Luhan watched as Hades, looking tall and intimidating in his black robe, walked in. He came to a stop by the bed. “You are awake,” he said, his monotone voice resonated throughout the bedchamber.

Luhan shifted uncomfortably. “I do not remember coming here,” he admitted, rubbing his neck.

The dark ruler didn’t answer. Instead, he placed a robe in front of him. “Get dressed,” he instructed. “There is something I need to show you.”

Luhan didn’t budge. “King Hades—”

“Sehun,” the king corrected him. “I will wait for you outside.” With that, he turned and left the bedchamber.

Luhan eyed the robe warily. It was black, like the one the king wore. It was a color he was not accustomed to wearing, but at that moment, he couldn’t afford to be picky with colors, nor did he wish to argue with the King of the Underworld. Wordlessly, he got out of bed and put on the robe. It hung loosely around his small frame, practically covering him from head to toe. Taking a deep breath, he opened the doors and met Sehun outside of the bedchamber.

“You Highn—” Luhan began.

The king cut him off. “This way,” he said, and led him down a dark corridor.

Luhan had no choice but to trail after him. Without Baekhyun and Victoria, the King’s Palace was like an infinite maze. Their footsteps echoed throughout the empty halls. Luhan looked absent-mindedly around, noting a few sculptures similar to the ones found in the Queen’s Palace.

“Where are we going?” he finally asked.

Sehun didn’t answer, walking on as if he hadn’t heard the question. Luhan decided not to press on the matter. An awkward silence came between them as they walked down a seemingly endless path.

Finally, they arrived in front of a wooden door. Right away, Luhan could feel the waves of magic that seeped from it. This was no ordinary door. Sehun paused. “Did you remember what you said on your first day in the Underworld?” he asked.

_“All you have to do is maintain this charade, and in return, I will take my sister’s place as Queen of the Underworld.”_ Luhan winced as the memory rushed back to him like a storm, all the while wondering where the king was going with this.

“You should know, as Queen of the Underworld, you are a master of this realm,” Sehun continued. “As the queen, you also need to know that you cannot hide in the palace forever.”

With a wave of his hand, Sehun opened the door. “Come,” he said and went in without waiting for Luhan. The latter quickly followed, and soon found himself walking down a stone path. Contrary to the dry and gloomy atmosphere of the Underworld, Luhan felt a layer of moisture that seemed to rise up from the ground. 

_Where are we going?_ Luhan wondered. There weren’t enough lights to indicate where they were headed, but his question was soon answered as they came upon the edge of a large pond. Luhan could still see his reflection on the water surface. Upon closer inspection, he could also make out something that seemed to be glowing underwater.

“What –” Luhan started to ask but was cut off when a shove sent him straight into the water.

* * *

  
Pain.

It was the first thing that registered as soon as Luhan fell into the pond like he was being cut and slashed with thousands of knives. Any attempt to struggle only made it even worse.

_What is this place?_

Luhan struggled to breathe as he tried to regain his senses. He could barely make out the water surface. He tried to swim upwards, yet any movement he made simply caused him to sink further and deeper underwater. His arms flailed about in desperation. His heart felt as if it was ready to burst out of his chest. It was like his nightmare all over again. Despair came over him as he thrashed and kicked, hoping to escape this dark prison.

Suddenly, he felt his hand brushed against an unknown object. _Take it_ , a voice whispered against his ear. Instinctively, Luhan shrank back and was immediately dragged further underwater. By now, the pain had become unbearable. Luhan gritted his teeth and struggled against the current.

_Take it._

Once again, his hand brushed against something hard. Despite his heart screaming for him to get away, Luhan grabbed on to it and held on tightly. Right away, the pain stopped. Luhan’s vision began to clear as he could make out the surface. Without a second thought, he kicked his legs against the current and swam to the top, coughing and gasping for air, never once letting go of the object in his hand.

He felt himself being lifted out of the water. The black robe stuck to him, which prevented him from moving about. Drained beyond belief, Luhan panted as he was sat down at the edge of the pond. He felt something heavy wrapped around his body.

It was a while before Luhan finally calmed down. His eyes fluttered open and found himself nestled in Sehun’s arms. Yet it was the object in his hand that caught his attention.

“What's this?” Luhan asked. The scepter in his hand was silver, with a small light sparkling at the tip. Luhan had never seen anything like it. His mother had a scepter as well, but it was made of wood, a trait that reflected her powers.  
   
“This is the queen's scepter,” Sehun replied quietly. “It represents your position in this realm, and it can only be summoned by the queen of the Underworld. Not even I could summon it.”

Luhan stared at it in confusion. Even though the light was small, it seemed to illuminate the entire pond. “So this is my sister’s scepter?” _How come Perse never mentioned this?_

“It is the queen’s scepter,” Sehun corrected him. “This scepter gives you the power needed to rule this realm alongside with me. It is a symbol of your authority. With this, no one will dare disrespect or question your authority.” He paused. “This also means you have accepted the Underworld as your home, and you will remain here for all eternity.”

Luhan’s mind was in a whirl. “I don’t understand,” he stammered. He understood the need to play along with the role, but this? This went beyond his agreement with the king.

“Now that you are in possession of the scepter, you no longer have a choice as to whether or not you want to be the queen of the Underworld," Sehun explained patiently.

“I never said...”

“This scepter represents who you are. It's your identity now,” Sehun continued as if he didn’t hear Luhan’s words. “It is the acknowledgment of your status as Queen of the Underworld. So even if one day, you no longer need to hide from Zeus, you still cannot leave the Underworld."

Luhan stared blankly at the scepter in his hand. He felt sick to his stomach. Quickly, he struggled out of Sehun’s arms and stood up. “This is not what we agreed on,” he protested.

Sehun raised an eyebrow and stood up. “You asked to be my queen in return for a place to hide from Zeus,” he said. “I have delivered my part. It is time to deliver yours.”

Luhan shook his head. “I did not agree to stay here forever.” He tried to remain calm, but inside he was panicking. This was not part of his plan.

“Once you entered the Underworld, you can never leave,” Sehun pointed out coldly. “This rule was established in the Underworld long ago, even before I became the ruler. Did your mother and sister not tell you this?”

“But my sister –”

Sehun cut him off. “That was an exception,” he said. “Had Zeus and Rhea not intervene, she too would have to remain here for all of eternity.” His dark eyes held no emotion as he stared down at Luhan. “But since you are not bound by any special arrangements, that rule does not apply to you.” He took a step towards Luhan, was not surprised to see him flinch back. Nevertheless, he kept walking until Luhan was backed up against a tree. Unhurriedly, Sehun took off his robe and put it around him.

“This is your home now,” he told Luhan. “You should get used to it.” With that, he walked away.

Luhan’s body was numb. Standing by a tree, he took a shaky breath and fought back his tears. It was not supposed to turn out like this. This was supposed to be a temporary solution until he figured out a way to his family to live peacefully, without being pushed around by the Olympians. How could he protect his family if he was confined to the Underworld? 

He glanced at the scepter in his hand, the source of his newfound troubles. None of this would happen had he not taken the scepter. Without thinking, he flung it at the pond with all his strength. It sailed into the air, and just as it was about to hit the water, the scepter disappeared into a pale light. Luhan watched as it flew towards him. By reflex, he held up an arm in defense, and it wrapped itself around his wrist. The light faded, and Luhan found himself staring at a thin bracelet, with three bells attached to it.

_What have I done?_

* * *

He looked up at the sound of the knock. “Come in.”

The door opened to reveal a scowling Baekhyun. His expression hardly fazed him, but deep down Sehun knew why he was here.

Baekhyun had wasted no time to show his displeasure. “Was that really necessary?” he asked, his hands on his hips.

Sehun’s stoic appearance remained unchanged. “He needs to know the truth,” he said easily. “The moment he stepped into the Underworld, he has relinquished his place on Mount Olympus. That is, if he even had one to begin with.”

“Still, you didn’t have to put him through all that,” Baekhyun argued. His mind went back to when he found Luhan in his bedchamber. Baekhyun had never seen him like this. Luhan’s distressed face, trying everything to take off the bracelet, all the while chanting “this is not my home” repeatedly.

Sehun narrowed his eyes. “And what do you suggest I do? Sit him down and explain everything?”

“It is what you did for us,” Baekhyun shot back. “He is already upset about leaving his mother and sister behind, and now you tell him he will never see them again? What is the matter with you?”

Sehun didn’t answer but continued to watch Baekhyun pace around his study as he ranted about Luhan’s unfair imprisonment.

“Did you once consider how this would do to Luhan? Did you ask him if he wishes to be queen? Does he even know what being a queen truly means?” Baekhyun threw up his hands in anger. “I understand that your word is law around here, but Luhan is not an abandoned demigod or a newly-arrived soul. He is the son of not one, but two Olympians. You cannot treat him like that. He knows nothing about the outside world, and—“

“I thought he handled the situation with Niobe quite well,” Sehun pointed out coldly, as if that answered everything.

Baekhyun looked ready to hit him. “That is not the point, and we both know it.” His blue eyes flashed indignantly. “And since when is there a queen’s scepter? Who do you think you are trying to fool?”

Sehun shrugged. “As the queen, Luhan would need the power and authority to rule this realm,” he replied.

“You make it sound as if he will stay here forever when in reality, he cannot,” said Baekhyun. “As the son of Zeus—“

Sehun held up a hand to stop him. “What matters is the Underworld finally has a queen that is permanently situated in this realm. Everything else is not my concern.” His face was still void of any emotion, but his eyes indicated otherwise.

Baekhyun sighed. Continuing this rather one-sided argument was fruitless. Nonetheless, he decided to try one last time. “You may have found a way to make him stay, but what you did is no different from what they did to Persephone,” he said softly. “Think about that.” With a bow, he turned and left the study.

With the demigod gone, Sehun once again turned his attention back to the scroll he was reading before the sudden interruption. However, Baekhyun’s words continued to echo in his mind. With a grunt, he forced himself to focus on the document in his hands. 

_I did it for the sake of my realm_ , Sehun told himself, yet deep down, there was a question that refused to go away.

_Is that the only reason you are making him stay?_


	16. Unwelcome visitor

_He walked through the plains of Mount Olympus. As always, the realm looked bright and majestic, a picture of perfection. He looked at the grass at his feet, all identical in color, shape, form, and length, almost too beautiful to be stepped on._

_He ignored the lilting sounds of the nymphs and the chirping of birds as he walked right through the grass fields. While they were mostly harmless, the sounds were grating on his nerves. The over-the-top perfection, the seemingly harmonious environment gave him no comfort. Has it always been like this? He wondered. Then again, it was none of his concern. He had no part in any of this. He was merely passing through._

_His irritation lessened at the sight of the palace. Contrary to the rest of Mount Olympus, Demeter’s palace was tolerable. There was none of that grandiose he’d find in his brother’s palace, nor the over-the-top décor. At least he didn’t have to go through those ridiculous formalities of announcing his presence and waiting to be summoned, something his siblings, especially Zeus and Hera, seemed to relish. Instead, he walked up the steps._

_A figure was already waiting at the entrance. “I got your message,” he said._

_Her appearance had changed since he last saw her at the Winter Solstice Festival. Leaning on her wooden staff, she still retained the dignified appearance of a goddess. Her wheat-blonde hair still glowed under the sun, but he could see some wrinkles around her eyes, and her already-delicate body seemed frail, buried in her white robe. He frowned. Mount Olympus was all about appearance. These ‘physical flaws,’ as some would call it, were unheard of, especially from one of the Olympians._

_Demeter inclined her head. “Thank you for coming.” Leaning on her wooden staff, she looked as if she was about to collapse. Sehun narrowed his eyes. Something was wrong. Before he could say anything, she turned away. “We can talk inside.”_

_He hesitated at the bluntness, but then again, they had become so distant that any form of pleasantries felt awkward. Without another word, he followed her into the palace, all the while oblivious to the hidden figure watching them from afar._

* * *

Chanyeol paddled languidly down the Styx. One stroke after another, a repetitive motion that some might found boring, but the demigod found the whole process to be quite therapeutic. It was one of the things he loved about his job. Simple, repetitive and relaxing, and best of all, there was hardly any competition because nobody wanted to spend any extra time at the Styx.

When Charon had requested extra help with the ferry duties, most of the demigods had balked at the idea. Chanyeol, however, had jumped at the chance. Back then, he only wanted one thing, and that was to see his family as much as he could. The family who was taken away from him all too soon by the god he was to call father, something the demigod would neither forgive nor forget.

He spared a glance at the passengers on his boat. Two boys, brother, both unfortunate victims of a fire that destroyed their village, leaving them forever separated them from their loved ones in the mortal world. The demigod watched as one put his arm around the other in comfort as they huddled together. Once again, his mind drifted back to Zenoch and Mikhailis. Even now, he still couldn’t believe they were gone. He took a deep inhale to calm himself. He did not want to admit it, but their deaths had such a significant effect on him than he’d like to admit. It was rather silly. After all, they didn’t even like him. Or, more accurately, they loathed him. Still, to suffer such a horrific end was not something the demigod would wish on his half-brothers, or anyone, for that matter. He grimaced as he approached the dock. He kept telling himself that he was not responsible for their tragic fates and that they chose to side with Ares. Still, perhaps he should have warned them about him? Of his true intentions? Would that have made any difference?

_I guess we will never find out._

The demigod was surprised to find Charon and Jongin waiting by the dock. He frowned. It wasn’t time for Charon to take over yet. Jongin’s presence at the Styx was another unusual occurrence, given how much he detested being here. Both had solemn expressions on their faces. Or, Jongin looked solemn, while Charon looked pretty much the same with his skeletal appearance.

“Um….” He looked back and forth between the two, confusion written all over his face.

“I need you to come with me,” said Jongin. Without another word, he took the paddle from Chanyeol and handed it to Charon.

Bewildered by this sudden change of event, Chanyeol glanced back at the two boys on the boat, still at a loss of what was happening.

“Lord Charon will take care of them.” Already, Charon had got onto the boat and was all but shoving him onto the dock. The demigod staggered a bit and barely found his footing, only to be tugged forward by Jongin. Together, they made their way down a narrow path.

Chanyeol finally managed to shrug off Jongin’s hand. “What is going on?” he demanded.

“I am taking you to Tartarus,” Jongin replied. 

That threw Chanyeol into yet another state of confusion. “Why?” It wasn’t that he mind going to Tartarus, but if Jongin needed help, he’d usually tell him. Granted, Jongin was never one for words, but it didn’t mean he was mute.

“Because your father is here,” came the unexpected reply.

Chanyeol stopped dead in his tracks. “What did you just say?” He asked, hoping he’d heard wrong.

Jongin paused. “Lord Ares is currently at the entrance of the Underworld, demanding that he be let in,” he finally said. “Kyungsoo is with him, trying to stall him while we figure out what to do.” He tugged at Chanyeol’s sleeve, and the two started walking again.

“Stall him? Why?” Chanyeol didn’t understand it. “Can’t the king deal with him like he did last time?”

“The king is not here,” Jongin answered bluntly. His hand clenched into a fist. “I swear he must have planned this. There is no way he just happened to come here on a day the king is away.”

Chanyeol felt as if his world had just come crashing down right in front of him. After the deaths of Zenoch and Mikhailis, he knew there was a possibility that Ares would demand Sehun return his son back to him, but he never thought it would happen, and so soon. Right then, he felt the anger began to consume him. “Did he not learn anything from the previous visit?” he asked in a deathly calm manner.

Jongin gave him a glance. “Obviously not,” he replied. They stopped at the entrance of Tartarus. “Junmyeon suggested that we hide you in here. Worst case scenario, Ares would barge right into our realm and try to look for you, but he would never come near Tartarus.” He paused for a moment. “Though we are hoping it won’t come to that,” he added as an afterthought.

“Don’t hold your breath,” Chanyeol said bitterly.

“He may be ill-tempered, but he is not barbaric. He will not do something that would disgrace himself or Mount Olympus,” said Jongin. He gave Chanyeol a pat on the shoulder. “Lord Thanatos will be with you. Do not worry, brother, rest assured that we will not let him or anyone take you away,” he said with determination.

Chanyeol hesitated. “Does Baekhyun know?”

“Victoria is on her way to tell him. If Lord Ares decides to try anything, Kyungsoo will not be able to handle him alone,” said Jongin.

Chanyeol was not happy about this. Ares had always thought of himself as the true son of Zeus, being an offspring of Zeus and Hera and the only one who was named an Olympian, an honor that was not bestowed upon his siblings. The sight of Baekhyun, his half-brother, might not sit well with the god.

Jongin seemed to have read his mind. “I do not like this any more than you do,” he said. “But right now, the king is not here, and we all know the queen is useless.” His lips curled in disgust.

Chanyeol sighed. They were not left with many options. Without Sehun, Ares would not hesitate to wield his authority as an Olympian. He nodded. “I will stay here,” he said. “Just… tell Baekhyun to be careful, okay?”

Jongin nodded. “Of course,” he said.

* * *

Baekhyun watched as Luhan hovered over a small flower, whispering to it. It was another typical day spent with the queen. He’d come to the grove every day and stayed until it was time for him to rest. He had refused to speak of what happened with Sehun at the pond. Whenever the demigod tried to broach the subject, Luhan seemed to be indifferent towards it. He had chosen to move back to his own bedchamber in the queen’s palace, something Sehun did not object to, but Baekhyun knew the king wasn’t happy about it.

“The plant all look great,” Baekhyun remarked.

Luhan mumbled an inaudible response. Baekhyun became concerned at that. It was as if all life had left Luhan. The once hopeful queen was now reduced to a hollow shell of a living being. He was neither happy nor sad. He was just… living. Baekhyun had mentioned this to the king, but Sehun seemed indifferent to it. “He will adjust,” was all he said.

He decided to try again. “Thanks to you, this place has truly come alive.”

Still nothing. It was as if Luhan had wholly immersed himself into the plants. Baekhyun sighed. “I understand if you do not wish to see the king, but what about me? What did I do to deserve this kind of treatment?” he asked quietly.

That got Luhan’s attention. Slowly, he got up and turned to face the demigod. His pale face and bloodshot eyes were clear signs that he hadn’t gotten much rest. 

“Your majesty, I—“

“Don’t,” Luhan cut him off coldly. “I do not wish to talk about it.”   

Baekhyun decided to try again. “You may not understand it. In fact, none of us do, but I have known Sehun most of my life, and I know he has his reasons for doing this.” He paused to take a breath. “Whether or not you wish to acknowledge it, you are the Queen of the Underworld, and—”

“Stop calling me that!” Luhan shouted, his voice echoing throughout the grove. “Stop referring to me the way you would refer to my sister. I am not her, and she is not me. We are not the same!”

Baekhyun flinched, but Luhan wasn’t finished. “I did not ask for any of this. I did not ask to become queen. I would not even be here if it weren’t for what this disgusting place has done to my sister!”

“Well, he did not ask to be here, either!” Baekhyun exploded. “In fact, none of us had a choice when we were sent here. But this is the reality, Your Majesty, whether you like it or not. Life rarely gives us what we want. The only thing we can do is to move forward and make the best of what we are given.”

No words were exchanged between the two after that. Baekhyun was silent partly out of guilt for yelling at the queen, while Luhan seemed stunned by the sudden outburst coming from the demigod. Neither of them said anything, letting the awkward silence hang in the air.

It was Baekhyun who broke the silence. “My apologies, your majesty,” he said quietly, giving Luhan a bow.

Luhan sighed and shook his head. “It is not your fault.”

Baekhyun took this as a good sign. “What Sehun did was, in my opinion, wrong, and probably not what you had in mind when you first came to our realm.” He hesitated. “But you do not know him the way I do. He would not have done this unless it was necessary for our realm. I am not asking you to spend time with him or talk to him. That is your choice. However, the fact remains that you are now the queen of this realm, and that comes with responsibilities, duties that you cannot ignore.” His pleading eyes seemed to bore right into Luhan’s soul. “You can pretend not to care, but this place needs you,” he said.

Luhan closed his eyes. He struggled to keep his emotion in check. There was no point taking out his frustrations on Baekhyun. The demigod had done nothing wrong. Still, the thought of spending an eternity in the Underworld…

A rustle of movement in the bushes interrupted their conversation. Baekhyun stepped forward warily. A tree branch was brushed aside, revealing Victoria. Her face was grim as she gave Luhan a bow. 

“My apologies for the sudden interruption, your majesty,” said Victoria. “If possible, I would like to have a word with Baekhyun in private.” She turned to Baekhyun with a solemn look. Luhan was confused by this but nodded. He watched as Victoria took Baekhyun towards the bushes. They exchanged a few whispers, and Luhan saw Baekhyun tensed up. Without another word, the demigod straightened up and dashed out of the grove. 

Luhan stared after him, puzzled. He approached Victoria questioningly. “What is going on?” he asked.

Victoria had a grave look on her face. “We have a … a situation,” she replied. Her lips were set in a thin line as she contemplated her next words. “A visitor from Mount Olympus,” she said carefully.

Luhan’s heart skipped a beat. The name of the place sent a chill up his spine. “Mount Olympus?” he whispered.

“He is not here for you,” Victoria said quickly, seeing the look on Luhan’s face. She hesitated, wondering how much she should reveal. 

However, Luhan was already on edge about this mysterious guest from Mount Olympus. “Who is ‘he’?” 

Before Victoria could answer, two figures entered the grove. Both, like Victoria, were dressed in a black robe. When they drew back their hoods, Luhan found himself staring at two unfamiliar women. 

Both were astoundingly beautiful in their own ways. One had long, dark-brown tresses that flowed down her back, with icy blue eyes and delicate lips. She reminded Luhan of those water nymphs Persephone used to tell him about, but the cold, serious look on her face belied a sense of toughness that would not be found in any sprite. The other had short blond hair with blue tips. Her androgynous features gave off a mysterious air. Like her partner, she too had a severe expression on her face, though her eyes did not reflect harshness, but rather, curiosity.

Victoria scowled and took a step forward. “You two are not supposed to be here,” she told them sharply.

While the blond woman looked guilty, the brunette simply ignored Victoria. Instead, she turned to Luhan and gave a bow. “Your majesty,” she said in a solemn tone. She stood up. “We have placed the palace on high alert. Ares will not be able to come in as easily as he did la—”

“Krystal!” Victoria’s shout rang through the grove. This was not how she planned to break the news to the queen. However, it was too late. Krystal’s words hit Luhan like a ton of rocks.

“Ares?” Luhan whispered in horror. After Niobe, he had not expected any more visitors. Granted, it wasn’t Zeus, but still, knowing an Olympian was somewhere nearby was enough to strike fear in Luhan’s heart. 

Krystal seemed undaunted by Victoria’s warning as she stared straight at Luhan. “He is still at the entrance,” Krystal continued on. “Kyungsoo is there, and I imagine Baekhyun will be joining him soon.” She inclined her head. “Under normal circumstances, Ares would never even consider coming here, but right now, the king is not here.” She stared pointedly at Luhan. “And from the looks of it, he is well aware that our king is not here, which makes you the only authority to receive him,” she said with an indifferent tone, but her rigid stance and sharp eyes were reflections of the severity of the matter.

“Krystal, that is enough.” Victoria stepped forward, placing herself between Luhan and the demigod. “The queen is not ready—“

“And he will never be ready with you and Baekhyun constantly babying him,” Krystal snapped back at her adopted sister. Her icy eyes turned furious as they stared daggers at Luhan. “Whether you wish to accept it, you are our queen. This is not about you anymore. Everything you do or not do affects this realm.” Victoria made a move to stop her, but Krystal brushed her aside with a wave of her hand. “What you are doing right now, ignoring your responsibilities, shirking your duty, that is pure selfishness, and it’s affecting all of us,” she said to Luhan in a harsh tone.

Luhan staggered back, stung by her words. “I-I am not… I cannot…” he sputtered helplessly. He felt panic rising up inside of him, like that recurring nightmare in which he was being chased by Zeus. Meanwhile, Victoria looked ready to throttle Krystal. She took a step forward but was held back by the blonde woman. The demigod general turned and gave her a glare. “Amber, let go of me this instant,” she ordered.

Krystal continued to focus on Luhan. “I do not know what your life was like before you came here, but you are here now, and if the king is not here, then you are in charge of this realm.” She took a deep breath. “Baekhyun and my sister here may think you need more time to adjust to our way of life here, but I disagree. You are not as weak as you let on. If you can handle being queen once, you can certainly do it again.” 

She didn’t elaborate, but Luhan knew she was referring to Niobe. His mind flashed back to that day in the throne room, sitting on that throne. Being there had scared him, yet at the same time, it gave him a sense of thrill. Having that power of authority was intimidating and exhilarating at the same time, something he had never experienced before. Suddenly, he was not a non-existent immortal, but a queen, the Queen of the Underworld. 

“But Ares is not a mortal,” Luhan finally whispered.

Krystal stared at him critically. “With all due respect, your majesty, but did you think you can slink back into being anonymous after what happened with Niobe?” Luhan stared at her, not understanding. Krystal shot Victoria a look, who gave her another warning glare. She turned back to the queen. “When Persephone was the queen, she would never involve herself in the affairs of the Underworld. It was not because she couldn’t, but because she wouldn’t. She was brought here against her will and made queen against her will. To her, she was not under any obligation to take on the role.  What you did to Niobe was completely out of character of our former queen, one that did not escape the attention of those on Mount Olympus.” She paused to take a breath. “Especially the goddess Leto, whose children, Artemis and Apollo, are two of King Zeus’ most favored children,” she explained. 

“To you, helping Niobe might have been something you did on a whim, but to Mount Olympus, it was an alert to Zeus and the Olympians that something was off in the Underworld.” Krystal paused. She had not intended to show such disrespect towards Luhan. However, there was too much at stake at the moment to worry over formalities. 

Meanwhile, Luhan’s head spun at the onslaught of information. He never thought that one simple action could lead to such ramifications. All he wanted was to avenge his sister for the way she’d been treated. He never thought it would lead to more problems, or that it might threaten his very existence.

Seeing his distressed state, Amber finally spoke up. “Your majesty,” she began in a gentle tone. “What happened with Queen Persephone—” she paused as she tried to think of what to say. “It was something that’s out of all of our control, including the king’s.” She took a deep breath. “I do not know what your life was like before you came here, nor do I know why you chose to come here, but what I do know is that if you do not intervene on Chanyeol’s behalf, we will lose a brother, and Mount Olympus will have another reason to undermine our authority and status.”

With that, she got down on her knees. “I beseech you, my queen,” she pleaded. “You are the only one who can help us.”

Victoria closed her eyes in sadness. Out of all her sisters, Amber was the most carefree one, always looking on the bright side of things. She was proud to be a demigod and loved her adopted family dearly. However, her blithe attitude belied a tough woman who would do everything in her power to protect her family. Amber was not someone to be trifled with. Yet, seeing her now, willing to cast aside her dignity and beg like a peasant, something they had not done since Sehun took over control of the Underworld, Victoria’s heart broke, suddenly feeling powerless over the situation.

Luhan stared at Amber for the longest time.

“What do I need to do?”  

* * *

The tension was suffocating. Baekhyun scowled as he and Kyungsoo regarded the visitor before them. An unexpected visitor, whom no one ever thought they’d see again, especially not after the events from the last visit.

“What is taking so long?”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow at the harsh demand. “We were not expecting you, Lord Ares,” he replied casually. “Naturally, we have to inform our king of your presence.”

The God of War arrogantly inclined his head. “Who are you trying to fool, half-breed? I saw, with my own eyes, Hades entering Demeter’s palace. From the looks of it, it would seem he has not returned from his visit,” he said with a sneer.

“Then you should know that your visit has been in vain, given our king is not here to receive you,” Kyungsoo pointed out. “Perhaps you should try to visit another time when he is here,” he added with emphasis.

  
“That will not be necessary,” Ares said in a dismissive tone. “I am merely here to collect my son. Bring him here, and I shall be on my way.”

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo exchanged a look. _Here it comes_. “I am afraid that is neither up to you nor us to decide, Lord Ares,” said Baekhyun.

Ares went into a fit of rage. “How dare you! I am Ares, the God of War, and I demand that you bring my son to me!” 

It was all Kyungsoo could do not to punch Ares in the face. Sometimes, he wondered just how much Zeus and Hera had indulged in their son, to the point where he could still act like a spoiled child.

“Well?” Ares demanded. “Did you not hear what I just said? Bring my son!” He held out a hand, and a flaming sword appeared.

Immediately, the two demigods had their own weapons out. Baekhyun’s eyes flashed angrily at Ares, who gave him a twisted smile. “Unless you wish to find out just how many of you I can kill before I find Chanyeol?” He asked in a mocking tone. “It’s not like Father will miss you anyway,” he added.

“And Chanyeol will hate you forever,” a sudden voice rang out. Jongin appeared next to Kyungsoo, holding his own sword. “He had made it very clear from the beginning that he wanted to have nothing to do with you, Lord Ares. You can be as unreasonable as you want, but it will not change his decision.”

“He is my son. I decide what he wants, not him,” Ares snapped back. “Do you think you half-breeds could stop me from coming in to get him?”

“No, but I can.”

Everyone turned at the unexpected voice. Standing before them, dressed in a black-laced dress, with her face covered by a black veil, Queen Persephone had never looked so regal. The black tiara on her head sparkled in the candlelight. Flanked by two female generals, she stared at the people that’d gathered by the entrance. 

Ares stared hard at her. It wasn’t the first time he had seen Perspehone, but this time, she seemed different. She was no longer the delicate and fragile-looking girl who’d cower behind Demeter. Instead, there was an air of confidence he’d never seen before. Her stoic stance exuded authority, something that was non-existence for Persephone.

Straightaway, the demigods knelt and gave a bow. “Your Majesty.”

Persephone didn’t answer. Instead, her attention was on Ares. “The entrance is no place to discuss such a serious matter,” she said in a firm voice. “We can talk in the throne room.”

“Do not patronize me, Persephone,” Ares fired back. “I am in no mood for small talk.”

Baekhyun looked up and fixed Ares with a glare. Persephone, however, chose to ignore the rudeness. “You want your son back, do you not?” she asked. “Then either you engage in the ‘small talk’ or you will never see Chanyeol again.” She inclined her head. “It is your choice.”

Ares let out a furious growl. “Fine,” he finally said through gritted teeth. 

“Very well,” said the queen. She turned away from him. “My generals will take you there.”

 


	17. Unwelcome visitor (Pt. 2)

_Chanyeol stared at the group warily. “Is this some kind of joke?”_

_Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Does it look like I am joking?” she countered. “Obviously, the king and queen can refuse his request, but we all know he will just come back again and again until he gets what he wants,” She inclined her head and stared straight at Chanyeol. “The only way he will ever give up is if you tell him directly that you wish to have nothing to do with him.”_

_This caused the demigod to take a step back. “No,” Chanyeol immediately said._

_“This is not the time to be stubborn, Chanyeol,”Victoria argued. “Ares will not leave unless the king makes him leave, and right now, Sehun is not here.”_

_“The longer he stays, the risk of him finding out about Luhan becomes bigger,” Krystal added. “We are all going to be in trouble if that happens, including the king.”_

_Behind them, Luhan said nothing as he watched them argue. His mind was still struggling to wrap around the fact that there was an Olympian near the Underworld. Was this not supposed to be place the immortals on Mount Olympus avoid at all cost? Was this not the place that should be void of visitors? How was it that he’d only been here for a few weeks, but already he was forced to fulfill a role he hadn’t meant to inherit?_

_"Stop,” he finally spoke up. Immediately, the argument came to a stop. Everyone turned and stared at Luhan. His hand clenched into a fist as he struggled to keep his words steady. He looked over to Chanyeol. “I know I have no right to ask you to face the god who murdered your family.” Luhan watched Chanyeol’s face became furious. “But right now, he is outside, thinking he can still convince you to join him. He does not understand how his past actions have affected you. In fact, I don’t think he is remorseful of what he has done.” He stared hard at Chanyeol. “So this is your chance to tell him your true feelings._

_“I am not asking you to fight him. I am merely asking you to say all you’d wanted to say right in his face,” said Luhan. He inhaled deeply. “And in return, I will do everything in my power to make sure you remain in the Underworld.”_

_Chanyeol eyed him skeptically. “Those are big promises,” he said. “How can I be sure you can hold up your end of the deal?”_

_Victoria looked ready to argue, but Luhan held up a hand to quiet her. “We will not know unless we try, would we?” he asked._

_He watched as Chanyeol frowned. He tried to remain calm, but inside he was nervous. Had he asked for too much from a stranger?_

_It felt like an eternity, but finally, Chanyeol looked at him and nodded._

_“All right.”_

* * *

Standing in the throne room, Ares surveyed the area around him. He could feel the thick tension in the air. Hades’ generals were strewn all over the place in a seemingly disorganized manner, but the God of War knew better. They were placed in this particular manner for a reason, and it had everything to do with the woman currently situated on the throne before him. 

He could not understand it. From what he’d heard, Persephone was not well-liked in the Underworld. Then again, who would like a queen who did nothing but shriek and wail all day long? Yet, the way those half-breeds acted around her seemed to contradict with those rumors. He grimaced. What should have been an easy task had been complicated by Persephone’s appearance. Had it not been her, he would have been long gone already with his son in tow.

Ares finally broke the silence. “This is quite a welcoming party,” he said sarcastically.

Standing on the side, Victoria and Krystal frowned. Krystal, particularly, looked ready to fight. Olympian or not, this was not the way to treat the queen. However, the queen silenced them with a look merely inclined his head. “You never sent word of your arrival,” he told Ares. “Unlike your palace, the Underworld is not a place you can come and go as you please.”

Ares’ eyes darkened with fury. How dare she reprimand me, he thought. He was the son of Zeus and Hera, the two most superior gods on Mount Olympus. Unlike the half-breeds present in the throne room, he was born of the pure bloodline, and one that was the top of the hierarchy. That alone was enough to make him the envy of Mount Olympus.

Not one to back down, he straightened up to his full height. “I am Ares, son of Zeus and Hera,” he said in a proud voice. “There is not a place in this universe that I am not allowed to be in.” He stared at Persephone with a challenging gaze, as if daring her to fight.

Instead, the queen remained unmoved. “Why are you here?”

Ares was momentarily caught off-guard by this question. “Did I not make it clear the first time? I am here for my son.”

The queen tilted her head. “Your son?”

Ares gritted his teeth. “My son, Chanyeol,” he answered in a rare display of patience. He took a step forward, and instantly, every demigod in the throne room tensed. He scoffed. _Like they can take me on_. Still, he stopped and focused his attention at one particular demigod standing behind the queen. “I am here to take him home,” he announced, his head held high.

No one responded. Chanyeol, in particular, seemed undaunted by this statement. He looked at him with indifference, as if staring at a stranger.

Ares’ patience faded when he received no response. “Is this any way to treat your father?” he demanded loudly, his voice echoing throughout the throne room.

Chanyel clenched his jaw but said nothing.

That sent Ares into a fit of rage. “You ungrateful boy, how dare you –”

“That is enough,” Persephone interrupted him. Her face was hidden behind her veil, but Ares could practically feel her hard gaze burning into him. “This is not Mount Olympus. You cannot do as you please. We have rules here, rules that can have dire consequences if broken.” 

* * *

The atmosphere grew tenser by the minute. On the one hand, Luhan could not wait for Ares to leave. However, a part of him seemed eager to be back on the throne once again. There was an inexplicable thrill of being in power that scared Luhan, yet he couldn’t help but relish in the feeling of being in control.

Meanwhile, with his face hidden behind the black veil, Luhan was making his own observation of the Olympian. Persephone had spoken of the God of War before, but this was the very first time he had ever seen the Olympian in person. Just as his sister described, the god exuded an air of authority that seemed to be fueled by mostly by arrogance.

" _He_ _thinks he’s special because he is the son of Zeus and Hera_ ,” his sister had said. “ _But Athena told me he doesn’t have much to show for other than his rage._ ”

He watched as Ares looked critically around the throne room as if sizing up the situation. His hands gripped the throne, trying to calm his thumping heart. For a moment, he wondered if Ares could hear it from where he stood.

Behind him, Baekhyun shifted slightly. His hand was placed on the hilt of his sword. Next to him, Chanyeol stood with a stony expression on his face.  In the corner, Kyungsoo and Junmyeon watched with stared warily at Ares. Both had their hands on their weapons as if preparing for battle.

“I am not here for some dead soul,” Ares protested, albeit impatiently. “I am here for my son, who is, at the moment, very much alive behind you.”

His arrogant tone made Luhan cringe. His sister had, on occasion, dealt with Ares when she was out with their mother. Did she have to put up with this kind of attitude, as well?

It will be all right, he told himself. Just treat it as if you are dealing with another Niobe.

“Alive or not, once they have entered the Underworld, they can never leave without authorization from Hades,” Luhan explained gently like he was speaking to a child.

Ares smiled widely, which sent a chill up Luhan’s spine. “Surely you can make an exception.”

“This rule was established by Hades when he took over the Underworld, long before I become queen. I am afraid there is nothing I can do,” said Luhan. “If I remember correctly, we did not force Chanyeol to come here. He came because he chose to.” He turned slightly towards Chanyeol. “Isn’t that right?” he asked.

Chanyeol nodded. 

“Do you want to leave with him?”

Chanyeol shook his head.

Satisfied, Luhan turned his attention back to Ares. “As you can see, there is really nothing to discuss here.”

Ares, however, refused to back downs. “I see Hades has poisoned your mind, boy,” the God of War said to Chanyeol. “You are a fool to think you have a future in this godforsaken place.”

“You are not my father,” Chanyeol blurted out angrily. “You do not tell me what to do.”

Ares was outraged by this. “You will not disrespect me, you ungrateful—”

“That will be enough!” The queen's sharp voice resonated through the throne room, causing everyone to flinch, including Ares, who seemed shocked by this sudden outburst.

* * *

Luhan gripped the side of his throne to maintain his composure. “Remember where you are, Ares,” he warned in a firm voice. For a moment, he panicked and wondered if his behavior had given something away. He struggled to retain control of the situation. “It’s not that I do not want to help you, but as I have already pointed out, once someone has entered the Underworld, they can never leave without permission.” He inclined his head, hoping his posture would emit some sort of authority. “However, as you can see, Chanyeol does not wish to leave, so whether or not I give permission or make an exception is irrelevant.”

By now, Ares’ face was twisted in a fury. “You planned this, didn’t you?” he demanded, pointing an accusing finger at Luhan. 

Luhan merely stared back. “I don’t know what you are talking about. You showed up, unannounced, with a ridiculous demand that you and I both know is impossible to grant. Are you surprised to be rejected?”

* * *

Ares glared at Persephone, his mind blinded with rage. As the golden son of Zeus and Hera, he’d had everything given to him without much resistance. Whatever he wanted, he’d gotten. Not even the famous Olympian twins Apollo and Artemis had received such treatment. He was the envy of Mount Olympus, and he knew it.

Right now, however, there was only one thing he wanted, more than anything in this universe, and Persephone was the only one who stood in the way.

He gritted his teeth. “You may think you are all high and mighty as the wife of Hades, but do not think for a moment that I don’t remember what you used to be like when you were still a lowly spring goddess back on Mount Olympus.” His eyes flashed as he glared at the veiled figure sitting on the throne. “Always hiding behind your whore of a mother like a coward, you are nothing, a nobody!”

Instantly, all the generals in the room on their guard. A dark aura surrounded the throne room as Victoria took a step forward. “You will not show such disrespect to our queen,” she said in a deathly calm voice.

The queen seemed unaffected by Ares’ insults. “I believe we have reached the end of our discussion,” she said, standing up. “You have overstayed your welcome. I think you should leave.”

Ares scoffed. “I am not leaving without my son, and there is nothing you can do.” He smirked evilly. “What are you going to do? Hmmm? Smother me to death? I am an immortal, you stupid girl.” He drew his sword. “Come on, I can do this all day if I have to. In the end, I will get what I want.”

He grinned widely. He could practically feel the anger seeping from Persephone. Good, he thought.

“I said, you should leave,” Persephone repeated a bit louder, and the throne room doors slammed open. 

Ares continued to grin. “What’s the matter, Persephone? Did I touch a nerve? Or did you not want your… servants here to know what you were really like back on Mount Olympus?” He taunted, all the while studying his sword leisurely. “Useless, a complete waste of space, if it weren’t for your face, no one would care about you, not even me.” He stared hard at Persephone, trying to make out her face through the veil. “But you know all about that, don’t you? How your looks are your assets, thinking you can use it to seduce my father? Just like your mother, the whore?”

Persephone began to tremble. She held out her hand, and a scepter appeared. “I will say it one last time, leave,” she said quietly, but her clenched fist showed Ares how she honestly felt.

“Or what? What are you going to do?” he taunted.

An unexpected voice interrupted him.

“She won’t do anything, but I will."

**Author's Note:**

> So last year, I posted a poll asking people about the possibility of re-publishing Queen of the Underworld. I know many of you weren't happy when I unpublished it for editing, and while the story isn't finished, I have the drafts of the first several chapters ready. As previously mentioned, these are unedited drafts, so I'll have to ask you not to expect perfection in this story. There are some changes made to the story, but overall, the plot is more or less the same.
> 
> Also, I normally wouldn't speak out about plagiarism, but lately I noticed that is fast becoming an issue here online. Currently, this story is only published here and AFF, but if I find out that someone has posted this anywhere else, or modified the story by changing the pairing without my permission, I WILL DELETE THIS STORY ALTOGETHER. Consider yourselves warned. 


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